Stented within a stentless aortic valve. A simple surgical solution for the replacement of a stentless aortic bioprosthesis

• Published in: Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 2010-01, Vol.10 (1), p.7-8
• Main Authors: Panagiotou, Matthew, Kogerakis, Nektarios, Crockett, James R, Economidou, Stella
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Animals; Aortic Valve - physiopathology; Aortic Valve - surgery; Bioprosthesis; Cattle; Heart Valve Diseases - physiopathology; Heart Valve Diseases - surgery; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation - adverse effects; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation - instrumentation; Humans; Male; Pericardium - transplantation; Prosthesis Design; Prosthesis Failure; Reoperation; Stents; Swine; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1569-9293; 1569-9285
• DOI: 10.1510/icvts.2009.215327

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Athens Medical Center, 5-7 Distomou St, Marousi Athens, Greece *Corresponding author. Tel.: [phone]. E-mail address : mspanag{at}otenet.gr (M. Panagiotou). Stentless aortic bioprostheses are designed to offer better hemodynamics, less mechanical stress to the leaflets and as a result less degeneration. Although encouraging results are reported, little evidence has been published regarding reoperations of stentless valves. We are reporting a case of a structural valve dysfunction of an O'Brien–Angell stentless prosthesis, which could not be extracted during reoperation without damaging the aortic root. We are presenting a simple, quick and effective surgical solution, the surgical ‘valve within a valve’ technique for the avoidance of a redo complex root procedure. Key Words: Aortic valve surgery; Valve disease; Stentless valve