Objectives: Valve-sparing aortic root replacement requires expertise to predict repair results and prevent secondary aortic clamping for valve repair or replacement secondary to aortic valve insufficiency. Thus, intraoperative evaluation of the aortic valve using diastolic pressure at the aortic root may be helpful. The goal of this retrospective study was to compare the early and mid-term results of aortic valve repair with those of valve-sparing aortic root replacement using intraoperative endoscopic evaluation.
Methods: We included 158 patients who underwent aortic valve repair with valve-sparing aortic root replacement at our hospital between December 2003 and January 2022. The patients were divided into a non-endoscopic evaluation group (group NE, n = 97; mean age 55 years) and an endoscopic evaluation group (group E, n = 61; mean age 51 years).
Results: The incidence of a second aortic clamping for aortic valve insufficiency was significantly greater in group NE (17.5%) than in group E (1.6%; P = 0.002). The presence of none or trivial aortic valve insufficiency on transthoracic echocardiography at discharge in group E (87.6%) was significantly lower than in group NE (98.4%; P = 0.017). No significant difference in the cumulative incidence of recurrence of moderate AI (P = 0.47), hospitalization for heart failure (P = 0.84) and reoperation (P = 0.25) between groups NE and E.
Conclusions: Intraoperative endoscopic evaluation during aortic valve repair with valve-sparing aortic root replacement correlated with a lower incidence of second aortic clamping because of aortic valve insufficiency and effective aortic valve insufficiency control.
Keywords: Aortic root replacement; Aortic valve insufficiency; Aortic valve repair; Valve-sparing.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.