Viable Cryopreserved Aortic Homograft for Aortic Valve Endocarditis and Annular Abscesses

Joseph B. Zwischenberger, Tarek Zaghloul Shalaby, Vincent R. Conti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Six consecutive patients with active aortic valve endocarditis, including 2 with extensive subannular aortic root abscess, were successfully treated with viable cryopreserved homograft aortic valve replacement. Two patients required extensive aortic root reconstruction with an appropriately trimmed aortic homograft to cover large abscess cavities. All patients showed resolution of infection with no perioperative mortality or clinically significant morbidity. Three patients had a minor degree of aortic insufficiency on postoperative echo-Doppler study. On follow-up at 6 to 48 months, all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I. The resistance of the unstented homograft to infection makes it an attractive choice for patients requiring aortic valve replacement for active endocarditis. The results of surgical intervention in patients with extensive aortic root involvement may be further improved by the flexibility afforded by the homograft to be “custom-fit” to the abnormal aortic root and the ability to achieve secure valve fixation without use of prosthetic material.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)365-370
Number of pages6
JournalAnnals of Thoracic Surgery
Volume48
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1989

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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