Quality of life among patients with severe aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The disease burden of patients with severe aortic stenosis is not often explored, while the incidence is increasing and many patients who have an indication for aortic valve replacement are not referred for surgery. We studied the quality of life of 191 patients with severe aortic stenosis, hypothesising that symptomatic patients have a far worse quality of life than the general population, which could enforce the indication for surgery. METHODS: The SF-36v2 Health Survey was completed by 191 consecutive patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis. RESULTS: Asymptomatic patients (n = 59) had health scores comparable with the general Dutch population but symptomatic patients (n = 132) scored significantly lower across different age categories. Physical functioning, general health and vitality were impaired, as well as social functioning and emotional well-being. There was no relation between degree of stenosis and physical or mental health scores. CONCLUSIONS: Both physical and emotional problems have a major impact on normal daily life and social functioning of symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis, regardless of age. If the aortic stenosis is above the 'severe' threshold, the degree of stenosis does not predict disease burden. These results encourage to reconsider a conservative approach in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. Using the SF-36v2 Health Survey together with this study, an individual patient's quality of life profile can be assessed and compared with the patient group or with the general population. This can assist in decision making for the individual patient.

The effect of aortic valve replacement on quality of life in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Although symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis have a high disease burden and guidelines recommend aortic valve replacement, many are treated conservatively. This study describes to what extent quality of life is changed by aortic valve replacement relative to conservative treatment. METHODS: This observational study followed 132 symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis who were subjected to an SF-36v2TM Health Survey. RESULTS: At baseline 84 patients were treated conservatively, 48 were referred for aortic valve replacement. In the conservatively treated group 15 patients died during a mean follow-up of 18 months (Kaplan-Meier survival was 85 % and 72 % at one and 2 years respectively) and 22 patients crossed over to the surgical group. Of the resulting 70 patients in the surgical group 3 patients died during a mean follow-up of 11 months (survival 95 % at 1 year). Physical functioning, vitality and general health improved significantly 1 year after aortic valve replacement. In conservatively treated patients physical quality of life deteriorated over time while general health, vitality and social functioning showed a declining trend. Mental health remained stable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic valve replacement improves physical quality of life, general health and vitality in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Besides having a low life expectancy, conservatively treated patients experience deterioration of physical quality of life. Health surveys such as the SF-36v2TM can be valuable tools in monitoring the burden of disease for an individual patient and offer additional help in treatment decisions.

Clinical course of patients diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis in the Rotterdam area: insights from the AVARIJN study.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the clinical course of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and identify factors associated with treatment selection and patient outcome. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with severe AS in the Rotterdam area were included between June 2006 and May 2009. Patient characteristics, echocardiogram, brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and treatment strategy were assessed at baseline, and after 6, 12, and 24 months. Endpoints were aortic valve replacement (AVR) / transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and death. RESULTS: The study population comprised 191 patients, 132 were symptomatic and 59 asymptomatic at study entry. Two-year cumulative survival of symptomatic patients was 89.8 % (95 % CI 79.8-95.0 %) after AVR/TAVI and 72.6 % (95 % CI 59.7-82.0 %) with conservative treatment. Two-year cumulative survival of asymptomatic patients was 91.5 % (95 % CI 80.8-96.4 %). Two-year cumulative incidence of AVR/TAVI was 55.9 % (95 % CI 47.5-63.5 %) in symptomatic patients. Sixty-eight percent of asymptomatic patients developed symptoms, median time to symptoms was 13 months; AVR/TAVI cumulative incidence was 38.3 % (95 % CI 23.1-53.3 %). Elderly symptomatic patients with multiple comorbidities were more likely to receive conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary Dutch practice many symptomatic patients do not receive invasive treatment of severe AS. Two-thirds of asymptomatic patients develop symptoms within 2 years, illustrating the progressive nature of severe AS. Treatment optimisation may be achieved through careful individualised assessment in a multidisciplinary setting.

Coronary revascularization in diabetic patients. A focus on the 3-year SYNTAX trial outcomes.

The prevalence of diabetes is growing worldwide. Diabetics are predisposed to coronary artery disease due to an increased rate of atherosclerosis. The optimal treatment for these patients remains uncertain. Randomized trials compared percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) to determine the most suitable revascularization strategy. Meta-analyses suggest a survival advantage in favor of surgery over angioplasty or stenting with bare-metal stents (BMS). New evidence was needed since advances in medical therapy, PCI technology, and surgical techniques have emerged. The Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial was the first to compare a drug-eluting stent to CABG and showed an increased rate of major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events after PCI. Results are mainly driven by the increased rates in patients with high lesion complexity; therefore, the current evidence suggests that diabetic patients with complex coronary disease have better outcomes with CABG.

Comparing cost aspects of coronary artery bypass graft surgery with coronary artery stenting.

Randomized trials have compared revascularization of coronary artery disease by coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). CABG is an expensive treatment. However, it manages to improve quality of life, restore general well being, and alleviate symptoms of patients. Coronary stents have improved the safety and durability of PCI. Nonetheless, stenting remains limited by a relatively high in-stent restenosis and thrombosis rate. The costs and cost-effectiveness for these different treatment modalities are relevant issues because cardiovascular disease and its management are prime targets for cost reduction initiatives. There is a debate as to which is the optimal treatment strategy as well as to the cost-effectiveness comparing CABG and PCI. This review provides an overview of cost-effectiveness of CABG compared with PCI. PCI has high costs due to the need for subsequent revascularization procedures, with absence of mortality and survival benefit compared with CABG. Despite the relative lower initial costs of PCI in the first year, PCI is not a cost-effective intervention in comparison with CABG. However, the studies undertaken to date have predominantly been short term and provide a very limited evidence base by which to assess the cost-effectiveness of modern clinical practice. It seems that in longer term, the benefits of CABG may exceed those of stenting and the difference in net cost may be in favour of CABG as the risk of repeat revascularization still increases with PCI regardless of the use of DES. However, to date no long-term data are available in cost-effectiveness between CABG and PCI. The 5-year outcome of the ongoing SYNTAX trial is essential and might therefore provide new insights into the comparison of cost-effectiveness between CABG and DES PCI.

The evolution of advanced techniques for the management of symptomatic aortic stenosis in the elderly population: conventional surgical management vs transcatheter valve implantation.

The shifting age demographic of the adult population has affected every area of contemporary medical and surgical practice. Many more people are living well, not just into their 70s but into their 80s and beyond. Their expectations of treatment for every illness have shifted markedly upwards at the same time. Despite the decline in cases of rheumatic fever in Westernised populations in recent times, the ageing population has led to no decline in the prevalence of valvular aortic stenosis. This is now realised to be an active pro-inflammatory disease, rather than a degenerative process. Thus the condition has remained in the mainstream and continues to be responsible for considerable morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality among the elderly and very elderly. Management has always been based on the triage of cases for direct intervention to the valve by surgery. Just as expectations have risen from patients, the techniques, application and monitoring of cardiac surgery have also made huge strides forward to meet this aspiration. More and more, surgeons are routinely asked to consider procedures in frailer, more elderly patients with more severe disease and co-morbidity. Managing the stenosis is rarely the only issue confronting the operating surgeon. Attempts to provide alternatives to open valve replacement surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass have now emerged. These are based around the transcutaneous placement of a valve prosthesis. While these technologies were initially highly selective in their application, they have now reached a stage to be compared with contemporary standards of cardiac surgical practice.

Impact of the definition of renal dysfunction on EuroSCORE performance.

AIM: Renal dysfunction is an important variable in the EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) model and is currently defined as creatinine >200 mmol/L. The aim of this study was to examine whether using other definitions of renal dysfunction could improve the predictive ability of the EuroSCORE. METHODS: Between January 2004 and January 2006, 1 205 patients underwent cardiac surgery. Their preoperative glomerular filtration rate and EuroSCORE were calculated. Four recalibrated EuroSCORE models were constructed using 1) creatinine as a binary variable; 2) creatinine as a continuous variable; 3) glomerular filtration rate as a categorical variable; or 4) glomerular filtration rate as a continuous variable. The predictive ability of these models was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 4% (N.=47). Receiver operating characteristic curve values were: 0.78 for the original EuroSCORE, 0.80 for the recalibrated binary creatinine model, 0.83 for the continuous creatinine model, 0.83 for the categorical glomerular filtration rate model, and 0.82 for the continuous glomerular filtration rate model. CONCLUSIONS: The use of creatinine as a continuous variable or glomerular filtration rate as a categorical or continuous variable improves the predictive accuracy of the EuroSCORE model for hospital mortality. Given the increasing incidence of preoperative renal dysfunction and its impact on hospital mortality, future risk stratification models should include continuous creatinine or glomerular filtration rate rather than creatinine as a binary variable.

Prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer surgery.

AIMS: Complete surgical resection of primary tumours remains the treatment with the greatest likelihood for survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although TNM stage is the most important prognostic parameter in NSCLC, additional parameters are required to explain the large variability in postoperative outcome. The present review aims at providing an overview of the currently known prognostic markers for postoperative outcome. METHODS: We performed an electronic literature search on the MEDLINE database to identify relevant studies describing the risk factors in NSCLC surgery. The references reported in all the identified studies were used for completion of the literature search. RESULTS: Poor pulmonary function, cardiovascular disease, male gender, advanced age, TNM stage, non-squamous cell histology, pneumonectomy, low hospital volume and little experience of the surgeon were identified as risk factors for postoperative outcome. However, with the exception of TNM stage and extent of resection, the literature demonstrates conflicting results on the prognostic power of most factors. The role of molecular biological factors, neoadjuvant treatment and adjuvant treatment is not well investigated yet. CONCLUSIONS: The advantage of knowing about the existence of comorbidity and prognostic risk factors may provide the clinician with the ability to identify poor prognostic patients and establish the most appropriate treatment strategy. The assessment of prognostic factors remains an area of active investigation and a promising field of research in optimising therapy of NSCLC patients.

Follow-up after surgical closure of congenital ventricular septal defect.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess long-term outcome of children after surgical closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and December 2001 a consecutive series of 188 patients (100 females) were operated for closure of a VSD. Temporary tricuspid valve detachment (TVD) was applied in 46 patients (24%) to enhance exposure of the defect using transatrial approach. Pre-operative baseline characteristics showed that the detached group was younger (0.79+/-1.8 vs 2.1+/-3.5 years, p=0.002) and had a lower weight (6.5+/-6.4 vs 10.0+/-11.0 kg, p=0.009). RESULTS: There was no difference in cross-clamp time (temporary TVD 36.2+/-11.3 vs non-temporary TVD 33.6+/-13.1 min, p=0.228). Postoperative echocardiography showed that 67 patients (36%) had trivial/minimal regurgitation, 10 patients (22%) from the temporary TVD group vs 57 patients (40%) from the non-detached group (p=0.02). There was no tricuspid stenosis. Hospital mortality comprised two patients (1%). One patient died due to a pulmonary hypertensive crisis and one in relation to an acute patch dehiscence for which an emergency reoperation was necessary. At first postoperative echocardiography no shunting was detected in 113 patients, trivial shunting in 73 and significant shunting in none. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that weight at operation was a predictive factor for the occurrence of residual shunting (OR 0.95, C.I. 0.91-0.99). One patient with conduction disturbances needed a permanent DDD-pacemaker. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Mean follow-up time was 2.6 years (range 0.1-9.4). During follow-up no reoperations were necessary for closing a residual VSD. One patient died 7 months postoperative due to a bronchopneumonia. During follow-up in 37 (51%) of the 73 patients the trivial shunting disappeared spontaneously at a median time of 3.9 years. According to actuarial analysis all trivial shunting had disappeared at 8.4 years. CONCLUSION: Trivial residual shunting disappeared spontaneously at a median follow-up time of 3.9 years. During follow-up no patient needed to be reoperated for residual VSD. TVD proved to be a safe method to enhance the exposure of a VSD.

Validation of the Charlson comorbidity index in patients with operated primary non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the influence of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) in patients with operated primary non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: From January 1996 to December 2001, 205 consecutive resections for non-small cell lung cancer were performed at the Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam. The patients ranged in age from 29 to 82 years, with a mean age of 64 years. In a retrospective study, each patient was scaled according to the CCI and the complications of surgery were determined. RESULTS: The hospital mortality was 2.4% (5/205). Of the 205 patients 167 (32.7%) experienced minor complications and 32 (15.6%) major complications. In univariate analysis, gender, grades 3-4 of the CCI, any prior tumor treated in the last 5 years and chronic pulmonary disease were significant predictors of adverse outcome. Multivariate analysis showed that only grades 3-4 of the CCI was predictive (odds ratio=9.8; 95% confidence interval=2.1-45.9). Although only comorbidity grades 3-4 was a significant predictor, for every increase of the comorbidity grade the relative risk of adverse outcome showed a slight increase. CONCLUSION: The CCI is strongly correlated with higher risk of surgery in primary non-small cell lung cancer patients and is a better predictor than individual risk factors.

Is there a place for pediatric valvotomy in the autograft era?

OBJECTIVE: Valvotomy and the autograft procedure are the most common surgical treatment options for children with valvular aortic stenosis. We evaluated the results of these surgical procedures in our institution. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was done of all patients presenting with aortic stenosis and operated upon before the age of 18. In 11 patients a valvotomy was performed and in 36 an autograft procedure. RESULTS: There was no hospital mortality. Mean follow-up in the valvotomy group was 4.8 years (SD 3.3), in the autograft group 4.5 years (SD 3.3). During follow-up one patient died suddenly 2 months after valvotomy. Two patients in the autograft group died (not valve-related). After valvotomy three patients underwent a balloon valvotomy, in one followed by an autograft procedure and one patient had a repeat valvotomy. In the autograft group one patient was reoperated for severe aortic regurgitation and moderate pulmonary stenosis. At last echocardiography after valvotomy (eight remaining patients) in only two patients (25%) no aortic stenosis or regurgitation was present. In the remaining six patients aortic stenosis is mild in two and moderate in three, including one with moderate aortic regurgitation. In one patient without stenosis, moderate aortic regurgitation was seen. No pulmonary stenosis or regurgitation is present. Echocardiography after autografting (33 remaining patients) showed no aortic stenosis. Aortic regurgitation was mild in seven patients, moderate in two, severe in one. Pulmonary stenosis was present in two patients (16%). Pulmonary regurgitation was mild in three patients and moderate in one. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with valvular aortic stenosis who are beyond infancy, valvotomy may be adequate and may postpone further surgery for a significant length of time. After valvotomy the main problem is residual aortic stenosis while after autografting a shift occurs to aortic regurgitation and problems related to the pulmonary valve. Careful clinical and echocardiographic follow-up is therefore warranted in young patients after the autograft procedure.

Outcome and follow-up of aortic valve replacement with the freestyle stentless bioprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the morbidity, mortality, and hemodynamics after implantation of the Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis in the aortic position. METHODS: A total of 280 patients were operated on from June 1993 to July 1999 as part of a multicenter investigation. Factors influencing hospital mortality and long-term survival were assessed by logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Patients were evaluated postoperatively at discharge, at 3 to 6 months, and yearly by clinical examination and color flow Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: Hospital mortality in this group was relatively high (9.6%). Logistic regression analysis showed that cross-clamp time, age, myocardial infarction, diabetes, left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease, New York Heart Association class III or IV and female gender were the independent predictive factors. According to the Kaplan-Meier method, the 4-year survival for hospital survivors was 94%. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, only coronary artery disease proved to be prognostic. During follow-up, 11 patients developed paravalvular leakage due to prosthetic dehiscence at the side of the noncoronary cusp. Performance of the prosthesis as assessed by echocardiography was excellent. Mean gradient decreased significantly between discharge and follow-up at 3 to 6 months. At 1-year follow-up trivial regurgitation was found in 6 patients (3%) and mild regurgitation in 4 (2%). Regurgitation did not increase with time. The effective orifice area increased significantly from discharge to follow-up at 3 to 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital mortality after implantation of a stentless bioprosthesis was higher compared to conventional prosthesis. A high incidence of prosthesis dehiscence at the proximal suture line was found, which was probably due to technique. Hemodynamic performance up to 3 years showed low transvalvular gradients. There is echocardiographic evidence for reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy and improvement of left ventricular function.

Echocardiographic imaging of stentless aortic valve prostheses.

UNLABELLED: Homografts and stentless xenografts are increasingly used in aortic valve surgery. Echocardiography technicians and cardiologists have to know what they will find when performing an echo-Doppler examination in patients who received a stentless valve. We therefore evaluated echocardiographic images of 74 patients who received a Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis with three techniques and a follow-up of 2 years in two high-volume hospitals. Of the patients studied, 81% were operated using the subcoronary technique, 12% using the root-inclusion technique, and 7% using the full-root technique. RESULTS: Transvalvular gradients across the stentless valves were low: 8.0 mmHg when implanted with the subcoronary technique, 8.2 +/- 5.1 mmHg using the root-inclusion technique, and 6.5 mmHg using the full-root technique. Trivial aortic insufficiency (grade 1) was observed in 10.7% of the patients (8.9% for the subcoronary technique, 13% for the root-inclusion technique, and 0% for the full-root technique). When the bioprosthesis was implanted using the subcoronary technique or the root-inclusion technique, the prosthesis was placed inside the recipient aortic root. Using these techniques, a lumen between the double layer of the xenograft and the aortic wall could be observed. With the root-replacement technique, the porcine root became the most proximal part of the ascending aorta. As the native aortic wall was removed, in most cases, no double lumen could be observed with imaging of the ascending aorta.

A prospective randomized trial comparing vein with polytetrafluoroethylene in above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: Despite many clinical studies, there is still uncertainty as to whether venous material is superior to polytetrafluoroethylene for femoropopliteal reconstruction proximal to the knee joint. Supported by early satisfactory results with thin-walled, stretched polytetrafluoroethylene for suprageniculate bypass grafts, a prospectively randomized clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of reversed saphenous vein in comparison with that of polytetrafluoroethylene in above-knee arterial reconstruction. METHODS: In a 3-year period, 151 above-knee femoropopliteal bypass graft operations were performed in 136 patients (77 male, 59 female). The indication for operation was severe claudication in 120 cases, rest pain in 20 cases, and ulceration in 11 cases. For the bypass graft, a reversed saphenous vein was used in each of 75 cases, and a polytetrafluoroethylene prosthesis was used in each of 76 cases. Preoperative risk factors were diabetes (24%), a history of myocardial infarction (23%), and current status with respect to smoking (74%). There was no hospital mortality; 5% of patients had minor postoperative complications. RESULTS: After 2 years, the primary patency was 83% for saphenous vein and 67% for polytetrafluoroethylene (P =.065); the secondary patency was 83% for saphenous vein and 77% for polytetrafluoroethylene (P =.298). During a follow-up period of 2 years, we found no statistically significant difference in primary and secondary patency between saphenous vein and polytetrafluoroethylene. We found no predictive factor for occlusion of either bypass graft. CONCLUSION: The use of polytetrafluoroethylene above the knee is a reasonable alternative in femoropopliteal bypass grafting that is associated with acceptable short-term patency rates.

Stentless bioprostheses have ideal haemodynamics, even in the small aortic root.

OBJECTIVE: To determine normal Doppler and 2D gradients and flow characteristics of the Freestyle stentless aortic bioprosthesis related to valve size. BACKGROUND: The Freestyle stentless aortic bioprosthesis is one of the newer aortic xenografts. Only limited data are available of the echocardiographic flow characteristics during a mid-term follow-up period of this valve. Therefore valve performance related to valve size was measured during a follow-up period of two years. METHODS: 175 consecutive patients with a Freestyle aortic bioprosthesis underwent an echocardiographic and Doppler examination according to a common protocol. Investigations were done within 4 weeks after operation, after 3 to 6 months, and after 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: With a valve size from 19 to 27 mm mean gradients decreased from 8.0 +/- 5.1 mmHg at discharge to 5.8 +/- 3.8 mmHg after 3-6 months (p < 0.001). Thereafter gradients remained stable. The performance index, the ratio of the measured effective orifice area in the patient divided by the effective orifice area measured in vitro increased from 69 +/- 20% at discharge to 79 +/- 29% after one, two and three years. Performance index was especially very high in the smaller sized valves with a performance index of 85 +/- 17% for the 21 mm valve. During follow-up mean gradients remained below 10 mmHg even in the 21 mm valve. CONCLUSION: Stentless xenografts have ideal haemodynamics, even in the small aortic root.

Echocardiographic parameters of the freestyle stentless bioprosthesis in aortic position: the European experience.

The objective of this study was to determine normal Doppler and 2-dimensional characteristics of the Freestyle stentless aortic bioprosthesis. The Freestyle aortic bioprosthesis is a new type of aortic xenograft, and experience is limited. We therefore determined the normal range of echocardiographic and Doppler examinations of this valve. Three hundred thirty-nine consecutive patients with a Freestyle aortic bioprosthesis underwent an echocardiographic and Doppler examination according to a common protocol. Investigations were done within 4 weeks after operation, after 3 to 6 months, and after 1, 2, and 3 years. With a valve size from 19 to 27 mm, mean gradients decreased from 7.9 +/- 5.1 mm Hg at discharge to 5.5 +/- 3. 8 mm Hg after 3 to 6 months (P <.001). Thereafter, gradients remained stable. Effective orifice area 1 year after implantation was 1.59 +/- 0.58 cm(2) for the 21-mm valves, 1.92 +/- 0.74 cm(2) for the 23-mm valves, 2.03 +/- 0.64 cm(2) for the 25-mm valves, and 2.52 +/- 0.72 cm(2) for the 27-mm valves (P <.001). The performance index, the ratio of the measured effective orifice area in the patient divided by the effective orifice area measured in vitro, increased from 67% +/- 20% at discharge to 82% +/- 29% after 1, 2, and 3 years. Performance index was especially very high in the smaller-sized valves. After implantation with the subcoronary technique or root-inclusion technique, small cavities could be seen between the native aortic root and the Freestyle valve. Doppler values were evaluated for the Freestyle stentless porcine bioprostheses in the aortic root. Gradients appear to be close to those measured in native valves over a time period of 3 years.

Brom's three-patch technique for repair of supravalvular aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Case histories of all patients (n = 29) operated on for supravalvular aortic stenosis from 1962 to the present were reviewed to study different techniques and outcomes. The technique of symmetric aortoplasty with 3 patches (1 in each sinus) is described and compared with other methods. METHODS: Case reports were reviewed and follow-up was completed by contacting the patient's (pediatric) cardiologist. We aimed for a last follow-up visit, including Doppler echocardiographic studies, in a period no more than 12 months earlier than December 1997. Supravalvular aortic stenosis was discrete in 25 and diffuse with involvement of the aortic arch and arch vessels in 4 patients. Additional anomalies were bicuspid aortic valve (n = 5), coarctation (n = 3), ascending aortic aneurysm (n = 1), mitral valve insufficiency (n = 2), pulmonary valvular stenosis (n = 1), and peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis (n = 2). Eleven patients had Williams syndrome and 1 patient had Noonan syndrome. Symmetric aortoplasty with 3 patches (1 in each sinus) was used in 13 patients, whereas other nonsymmetric methods (1, 2, or Y-shaped patches) were used in 16 patients. Mean follow-up was 10.5 years (range: 4 months-36 years). RESULTS: All techniques adequately decreased the pressure gradient. Progression of preoperative aortic valve insufficiency or de novo regurgitation was not observed except in 1 patient in whom the patches inserted were too large. CONCLUSIONS: No difference could be demonstrated in outcome for any surgical technique; however, reconstruction of the aortic root with autologous pericardial patches in each sinus after transection of the aorta has the advantage of symmetry while restoring the normal aortic root anatomy.