Evaluating a Novel Telescoping Catheter Set for Treatment of Central Venous Occlusions.

BACKGROUND: Central venous occlusive disease (CVOD) is a prevalent problem in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and can lead to access malfunction or ligation for symptomatic relief. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the TriForce® Peripheral Crossing Set (Cook Medical), a novel reinforced telescoping catheter set designed to provide additional support for crossing difficult central venous occlusions. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective study from a quaternary referral center. We identified 37 patients over a 17-month period who underwent 56 attempts at endovascular recanalization for the treatment of central venous occlusion. Technical success rates, procedural data, and outcomes were compared between those undergoing recanalization using traditional wire/catheter sets versus the TriForce catheter set. RESULTS: Average age was 48 ± 2 years. Comorbidities were similar between the two cohorts and included ESRD (61%), deep venous thrombosis (30%), and May-Thurner syndrome (7%). Forty attempts were made with traditional wire/catheter sets and 16 attempts with the TriForce catheter set to treat 2.1 ± 0.2 and 1.9 ± 0.3 occluded venous segments, respectively (P = 0.74). Technical success rates were significantly higher for the group undergoing recanalization using the TriForce catheter (69% versus 38%, P = 0.04) and 4 patients were successfully recanalized using the TriForce catheter set after a failed attempt with traditional wire/catheter sets. Mean fluoroscopy time and radiation dose were 13 ± 3 min and 14,623 ± 2,775 µGy∗m2 for traditional techniques versus 30 ± 6 min and 30,408 ± 10,433 µGy∗m2 for the novel telescoping catheter set (P = 0.01 and 0.09, respectively). Freedom from reintervention at 1 year was 60% for the TriForce cohort versus 44% for the traditional wire/catheter cohort (P = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: The novel TriForce reinforced telescoping catheter set is a useful adjunct that may improve recanalization rates of CVOD compared with traditional wire/catheter sets.

Contemporary Review to Reduce Groin Surgical Site Infections in Vascular Surgery.

Surgical site infection (SSIs) in lower extremity vascular procedures is a major contributor to patient morbidity and mortality. Despite previous advancements in preoperative and postoperative care, the surgical infection rate in vascular surgery remains high, particularly when groin incisions are involved. However, successfully targeting modifiable risk factors reduces the surgical site infection incidence in vascular surgery patients. We conducted an extensive literature review to evaluate the efficacy of various preventive strategies for groin surgical site infections. We discuss the role of preoperative showers, preoperative and postoperative antibiotics, collagen gentamicin implants, iodine impregnated drapes, types of skin incisions, negative pressure wound therapy, and prophylactic muscle flap transposition in preventing surgical site infection in the groin after vascular surgical procedures.

Open bilateral common femoral and popliteal vein aneurysm repair.

Although venous aneurysms are rare, typically asymptomatic, and most commonly found incidentally on imaging studies, patients with this pathology can develop pulmonary emboli owing to these aneurysms acting as a nidus for thrombus formation. There is no clear consensus regarding conservative management with anticoagulation vs operative intervention as the best treatment of deep venous aneurysms. We report the clinical course and surgical treatment of a patient presenting with both bilateral common femoral vein and bilateral popliteal venous aneurysms who had a known history of prior symptomatic pulmonary emboli.

Balloon-Assisted Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Thrombin Injection of Iatrogenic Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysms: A Case Report and Description of the Technique.

Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection (UGTI) has emerged as the first-line treatment for moderately sized or persistent pseudoaneurysms (PSAs). Although rare, the most feared complication of UGTI is arterial thrombosis or embolism during the off-label injection of thrombin causing acute limb ischemia requiring emergent surgical intervention. Higher thrombin volume, rapidity of injection, and wide or short-neck PSAs are all thought to increase the risk of arterial thrombosis or embolism during this procedure. For patients with unfavorable PSA anatomy who are high-risk surgical candidates due to their medical comorbidities or active critical illness, balloon-assisted thrombin injection (BATI) has been suggested as a means to potentially reduce the risk of thrombosis or distal embolization associated with UGTI. This minimally invasive technique also decreases the risk of groin wound dehiscence or infection associated with open repair, especially in patients who are morbidly obese or have had prior groin surgery. We report a patient with a complex femoral artery PSA after endovascular intervention who was successfully treated with BATI and describe the procedure in detail.

Early cannulation of the Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft.

OBJECTIVE: In complex dialysis patients, central venous stenosis may preclude additional upper extremity access options. The Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.) can bypass this stenosis providing patients with an additional upper extremity long-term access option. We report our experience with early-cannulation Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts and compare them to traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft placement from 1 January 2013 through 15 August 2017 at our institution and compared those undergoing placement of traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts and simultaneous tunneled dialysis catheter insertion to those undergoing Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft placement using an early-cannulation Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft without a tunneled dialysis catheter. RESULTS: A total of 88 patients had 98 Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts inserted throughout this time period. Of these, 61 (62%) were early-cannulation Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts, while 37 (38%) were traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts. Primary, primary-assisted, and secondary patency rates at 1 year were higher for the traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow graft cohort (53.1% vs 25.2%, p < 0.01; 70.1% vs 30.5%, p < 0.01; and 80.4% vs 55.4%, p = 0.07, respectively). There was no difference in the rate of postoperative hematoma, seroma, pseudoaneurysm formation, steal syndrome, or overall graft thrombosis between the two cohorts. Early-cannulation Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts required earlier reintervention for thrombosis and earlier reintervention for any cause when compared to traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts (146 ± 184 days vs 417 ± 272 days, p < 0.01, and 123 ± 169 days vs 401 ± 311 days, p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: In complex dialysis patients, early-cannulation Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts have significantly lower 1-year primary and primary-assisted patency rates and require earlier reintervention to maintain this patency compared to traditional Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts.

Predictors of poor outcome in infrainguinal bypass for trauma.

BACKGROUND: Trauma remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Vascular injuries are present in approximately 1% to 2% of trauma patients, with the majority of injuries occurring to the extremities. Trauma patients with vascular injuries have been shown to have increased morbidity and mortality as well as the need for increased resources compared with those without vascular injuries. This study aimed to determine predictors of poor outcomes in infrainguinal bypasses performed for traumatic arterial injury. METHODS: All patients admitted between September 1999 and July 2015 who underwent infrainguinal arterial bypass for trauma at a single level I trauma center were included for analysis. The primary outcome was a composite of thrombosis leading to graft abandonment, revision, amputation, or death. Data were analyzed by univariate descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses. Long-term data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: During the study period, 108 patients presented with and underwent infrainguinal arterial bypass for traumatic arterial injury. The cohort had a mean age of 35.8 years (16/108 female [15%]). The average Injury Severity Score was 15.2; admission glomerular filtration rate, 79.3 mL/min/1.73 m2; Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), 6; and injury to operating room time, 5.1 hours. Of 108 patients, 37 (34%) had penetrating injury, 71 (66%) had blunt injury, 10 (9.3%) had diabetes mellitus, and 76 (70.4%) had a below-knee target for bypass. Univariate risk factors for poor outcome included age >40 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.27 [1.40-7.65]; P < .01), MESS ≥7 (OR, 5.19 [2.08-19.97]; P < .01), blunt mechanism (OR, 3.35 [1.24-9.07]; P = .02), popliteal artery injury (OR, 3.04 [1.22-7.6]; P = .02), and below-knee target vessel (OR, 4.32 [1.37-13.58]; P = .01). Concomitant orthopedic injuries (P = .08) were not associated with poor outcome. Baseline renal function, type of repair performed (end-to-side vs interposition bypass), injury to surgery time, surgeon's specialty, and associated venous injuries were not significantly predictive of poor outcome. MESS was strongly predictive of poor outcome, with probability rising as high as 95% when MESS reached 12. A score ≥7 (high MESS) was 73% sensitive and 70% specific to predict poor outcomes. Age (OR, 1.03/y; P < .05) and MESS ≥7 (OR, 3.6; P < .03) were persistent predictors of poor outcome in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Poor outcomes in infrainguinal bypass for trauma are significantly predicted by the MESS, with poor outcomes occurring >50% of the time when MESS is ≥9 and >75% of the time when MESS is ≥11. Whereas amputation vs revascularization is a decision that also depends on nerve and soft tissue damage and other comorbidities, the MESS helps frame the data for the clinician and can aid in decision-making. Patients and family should understand that poor outcomes are more likely when MESS is ≥9. For patients with MESS ≥11, primary amputation can be considered.

Gross and histological features of excised portions of posterior mitral leaflet in patients having operative repair of mitral valve prolapse and comments on the concept of missing (= ruptured) chordae tendineae.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to describe gross and histological features of operatively excised portions of mitral valves in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP). BACKGROUND: Although numerous articles on MVP (myxomatous or myxoid degeneration, billowing or floppy mitral valve) have appeared, 2 virtually constant histological features have been underemphasized or overlooked: 1) the presence of superimposed fibrous tissue on both surfaces of the leaflets and surrounding many chordae tendineae; and 2) the absence of many chordae tendineae on the ventricular surfaces of the leaflets as the result of their being hidden (i.e., covered up) by the superimposed fibrous tissue. METHODS: We examined operatively excised portions of prolapsed posterior mitral leaflets in 37 patients having operative repair. RESULTS: Histological study of elastic-tissue stained sections disclosed that the leaflet thickening was primarily due to the superimposed fibrous tissue. All leaflets had variable increases in the spongiosa element within the leaflet itself with some disruption and/or loss of the fibrosa element and occasionally complete separation of it from the spongiosa element. Both the leaflet and chordae were separated from the superimposed fibrous tissue by their black-staining elastic membranes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the posterior leaflet thickening in MVP is mainly due to the superimposed fibrous tissue rather than to an increased volume of the spongiosa element of the leaflet itself. The superimposed fibrous tissue on both leaflet and chordae is likely the result of subsequent abnormal contact of the leaflets and chordae with one another. Chordal rupture (i.e., missing chordae) occurred in all 37 patients, but finding individual ruptured chords was rare.

Anomalous cord from the raphe of a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve to the aortic wall producing either acute or chronic aortic regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES: This report calls attention to an unappreciated cause of both acute and chronic aortic regurgitation (AR). BACKGROUND: Although stenosis develops in most patients with a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), in others with this anomaly, pure AR (no element of stenosis) develops, some in the absence of infection or other clear etiology. METHODS: We describe 5 men who underwent aortic valve replacement for pure AR associated with a BAV containing an anomalous cord attaching the raphe of the conjoined cusp near its free margin to the wall of the ascending aorta cephalad to the sinotubular junction. RESULTS: Three of these 5 patients had a history of progressive dyspnea, and the anomalous cord, which was intact at operation, appeared to cause chronic AR by preventing proper coaptation of the 2 aortic valve cusps. The other 2 patients heard a "pop" during physical exertion and immediately became dyspneic, and at operation, the anomalous cord was found to have ruptured. Prolapse of the conjoined aortic valve cusp toward the left ventricular cavity resulted in severe acute AR. CONCLUSIONS: This variant of the purely regurgitant BAV may cause either chronic AR (when the anomalous cord does not rupture) or acute severe AR (when the cord ruptures).

Natural history of unoperated aortic stenosis during a 50-year period of cardiac valve replacement.

Although a number of publications have described the natural history of patients with aortic stenosis (AS), the definition of "natural history" varies widely. Those describing a large number of patients with AS without operative therapy with necropsy findings are rare. Two hundred sixty patients >15 years of age with AS were studied at necropsy over a 50-year period by the same investigator. Of the 260 patients, the valve in 37 (14%) was congenitally unicuspid, in 123 (47%), congenitally bicuspid, and in 100 (38%), tricuspid. Aortic valve structure varied with age of death (in years; unicuspid 52 ± 17, bicuspid 63 ± 12, and tricuspid 70 ± 14 years); gender (men/women: unicuspid 95%/5%, bicuspid 78%/22%, and tricuspid 63%/37%), and frequency of calcium in the mitral valve annulus and epicardial coronary arteries. The patients with cardiac-related symptoms compared with those without were more likely to have a congenitally malformed valve (unicuspid 17% vs 12%; bicuspid 51% vs 29%; tricuspid 31% vs 60%; unadjusted p = 0.013), to die from cardiac disease (86% vs 54%; unadjusted p = 0.001), and to have larger hearts (mean cardiac weight 606 ± 138 g vs 523 ± 121 g; unadjusted p = 0.009) and a larger quantity of calcium in the aortic valve cusps. In conclusion, the length of survival in adults with AS is related to valve structure, gender, presence of cardiac-related symptoms, cardiac mass, and quantity of calcium in the aortic valve cusps.

Natural history of adults with congenitally malformed aortic valves (unicuspid or bicuspid).

Appreciation of the frequency of the congenitally malformed aortic valve has come about during the last 50 years, a period during which aortic valve replacement became a predictably successful operation. Study of patients at necropsy with either a congenitally unicuspid (1 true commissure) or bicuspid (2 true commissures) valve in whom no aortic valve operation has been performed has not been conducted during these 50 years, to our knowledge. We studied 218 patients at necropsy with congenitally malformed aortic valves: 28 (13%) had a unicuspid valve and 190 (87%), a bicuspid valve. Their ages at death ranged from 21 to 89 years (mean, 55 yr), and 80% were men. Of the 218 adults, the aortic valve functioned normally during life in 54 (25%) and abnormally in 164 (75%): aortic stenosis in 142 (65%), pure aortic regurgitation without superimposed infective endocarditis (IE) in 2 (1%), and IE superimposed on a previously normally functioning aortic valve in 20 (9%). IE occurred in a total of 31 (14%) of the 218 patients: involving a previously normally functioning valve in 20 (65%) and a previously stenotic valve in 11 (35%). Of the 218 patients, at least 141 (65%) died as a consequence of aortic valve disease (124 patients) or ascending aortic tears with or without dissection (17 patients). An estimated 1% of the population, maybe higher in men, has a congenitally malformed aortic valve. Data from this study suggest that about 75% of them will develop a major complication. Conversely, and encouragingly, about 25% will go through life without a complication.

Acute aortic dissection with tear in ascending aorta not diagnosed until necropsy or operation (for another condition) and comparison to similar cases receiving proper operative therapy.

Acute aortic dissection (AD) with a tear in ascending aorta (AA) is recognized to masquerade occasionally as another condition, and therefore the proper diagnosis is never made or made too late. During a recent 3-year period (2009 to 2011) at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 30 patients with acute AD with tear in AA were diagnosed: 23 (77%) were diagnosed clinically and underwent proper urgent operative therapy; the remaining 7 (23%) with AD with tear in AA were not diagnosed until operation (for another condition) or necropsy or retrospectively by review of antemortem computed tomographic scan after death. The number of patients with AD from tear in AA whose cardiac condition was not diagnosed clinically and who died in the hospital but did not have an autopsy is unclear. Because the autopsy rate in most United States hospitals, including Baylor University Medical Center, is now <5%, many cases of AD are probably not diagnosed and thus its frequency is being underestimated. In conclusion, ≥ 7 of 30 patients (23%) with acute AD with a tear in AA were not diagnosed until necropsy or operation (for another condition) or retrospectively by computed tomography during a 3-year period at a large tertiary medical center showing that this condition continues to be underdiagnosed, and when not diagnosed correctly is usually rapidly fatal. Because the autopsy rate today is so low, the percentage not diagnosed clinically is probably >23%.

Effect of coronary bypass and valve structure on outcome in isolated valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

Reports differ regarding the effect of concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS), and no reports have described the effect of aortic valve structure in patients who undergo AVR for AS. A total of 871 patients aged 24 to 94 years (mean 70) whose AVR for AS was their first cardiac operation, with or without first concomitant CABG, were included. Patients who underwent mitral valve procedures were excluded. In comparison with the 443 patients (51%) who did not undergo CABG, the 428 (49%) who underwent concomitant CABG were significantly older, were more often male, had lower transvalvular peak systolic pressure gradients and larger valve areas, had lower frequencies of congenitally malformed aortic valves, had lighter valves by weight, had higher frequencies of systemic hypertension, and had longer stays in the hospital after AVR. Early and late (to 10 years) mortality were similar by propensity-adjusted analysis in patients who did and did not undergo concomitant CABG. Congenitally unicuspid or bicuspid valves occurred in approximately 90% of those aged 21 to 50, in nearly 70% in those aged 51 to 70 years, and in just over 30% in those aged 71 to 95 years. Unadjusted and adjusted survival was significantly higher in patients with unicuspid or bicuspid valves compared to those with tricuspid valves. In conclusion, although concomitant CABG had no effect on the adjusted probability of survival, the type of aortic valve (unicuspid or bicuspid vs tricuspid) significantly affected the unadjusted and adjusted probability of survival.

Presence of a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve among patients having combined mitral and aortic valve replacement.

Although bicuspid aortic valve occurs in an estimated 1% of adults and mitral valve prolapse in an estimated 5% of adults, occurrence of the 2 in the same patient is infrequent. During examination of operatively excised aortic and mitral valves because of dysfunction (stenosis and/or regurgitation), we encountered 16 patients who had congenitally bicuspid aortic valves associated with various types of dysfunctioning mitral valves. Eleven of the 16 patients had aortic stenosis (AS): 5 of them also had mitral stenosis, of rheumatic origin in 4 and secondary to mitral annular calcium in 1; the other 6 with aortic stenosis had pure mitral regurgitation (MR) secondary to mitral valve prolapse in 3, to ischemia in 2, and to unclear origin in 1. Of the 5 patients with pure aortic regurgitation, each also had pure mitral regurgitation: in 1 secondary to mitral valve prolapse and in 4 secondary to infective endocarditis. In conclusion, various types of mitral dysfunction severe enough to warrant mitral valve replacement occur in patients with bicuspid aortic valves. A proper search for mitral valve dysfunction in patients with bicuspid aortic valves appears warranted.

Aortic medial elastic fiber loss in acute ascending aortic dissection.

The cause of acute aortic dissection continues to be debated. One school of thought suggests that underlying aortic medial cystic necrosis is the common denominator. The purpose of the present study was to determine if there was loss and, if so, how much loss of medial elastic fibers in the ascending aorta in patients with acute aortic dissection with the entrance tear in the ascending aorta. We examined operatively excised ascending aortas in 69 patients having acute dissection with tears in the ascending aorta. Patients with previous aortotomy, healed dissection, and connective tissue disorders were excluded. The 69 patients' ages ranged from 31 to 88 years (mean 56); 49 were men and 20 were women. Loss of aortic medial elastic fibers was graded as 0 (no loss), 1+ (trace), 2+ (mild), 3+ (moderate), and 4+ (full thickness loss). Of these 69 patients, 56 (82%) had 0 or 1+ elastic fiber loss; 13 patients (18%), 2+ to 4+ loss including 4 with 2+, 6 with 3+, and 2 with 4+. Nearly all patients (97%) had a history of systemic hypertension and/or had received antihypertensive drug therapy. In conclusion, most patients (82% in this study) having acute aortic dissection with entrance tears in the ascending aorta have normal numbers or only trace loss of aortic medial elastic fibers. Thus, underlying abnormal ascending aortic structure uncommonly precedes acute dissection.

Effect of body mass index on survival in patients having aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting.

The purpose of this report is to describe the effect of body mass index (BMI) on 30-day and late outcome in patients having aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. From January 2002 through June 2010 (8.5 years), 1,040 operatively excised stenotic aortic valves were submitted to the cardiovascular laboratory at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Of the 1,040 cases 175 were eliminated because they had a previous cardiac operation. The present study included 865 adults whose AVR for AS was their first cardiac operation. Propensity-adjusted analysis showed that 30-day and late mortality were strongly and significantly associated with BMI. Decreased risk of 30-day and long-term mortality was observed for patients with BMI in the low 30s compared to patients with BMI in the mid 20s or >40 kg/m(2). In conclusion, the findings in this study indicate a strong and significant adjusted association between BMI and 30-day and long-term mortality in patients having AVR for AS with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. Better survival was observed in patients with BMIs in the low 30s compared to patients with BMIs in the mid 20s and >40 kg/m(2).

Comparison of the structure of the aortic valve and ascending aorta in adults having aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis versus for pure aortic regurgitation and resection of the ascending aorta for aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: There is debate concerning whether an aneurysmal ascending aorta should be replaced when associated with a dysfunctioning aortic valve that is to be replaced. To examine this issue, we divided the patients by type of aortic valve dysfunction-either aortic stenosis (AS) or pure aortic regurgitation (AR)-something not previously undertaken. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 122 patients with ascending aortic aneurysm (unassociated with aortitis or acute dissection), the aortic valve was congenitally malformed (unicuspid or bicuspid) in 58 (98%) of the 59 AS patients, and in 38 (60%) of the 63 pure AR patients. Ascending aortic medial elastic fiber loss (EFL) (graded 0 to 4+) was zero or 1+ in 53 (90%) of the AS patients, in 20 (53%) of the 38 AR patients with bicuspid valves, and in all 12 AR patients with tricuspid valves unassociated with the Marfan syndrome. An unadjusted analysis showed that, among the 96 patients with congenitally malformed valves, the 38 AR patients had a significantly higher likelihood of 2+ to 4+ EFL than the 58 AS patients (crude odds ratio: 8.78; 95% confidence interval: 2.95, 28.13). CONCLUSIONS: These data strongly suggest that the type of aortic valve dysfunction-AS versus pure AR-is very helpful in predicting loss of aortic medial elastic fibers in patients with ascending aortic aneurysms and aortic valve disease.

Natural history of syphilitic aortitis.

No large studies of cardiovascular syphilis at necropsy have been reported since 1964. We examined at necropsy 90 patients who had characteristic morphologic findings of syphilitic aortitis. None had ever undergone cardiovascular surgery. With the exception of 2 cases seen more recently, the hearts and aortas of the 90 patients were examined and categorized by one of us (W.C.R.) from 1966 to 1990. All 90 had extensive involvement of the tubular portion of the ascending aorta by the syphilitic process, which spared the sinuses of Valsalva in all but 4 patients. The aortic arch was also involved in 49 (91%) of 54 patients and the descending thoracic aorta in 47 (90%) of 52 patients. Syphilis was the cause of death in 23 (26%) of the 90 patients. It was secondary to rupture of the ascending or descending thoracic aorta in 12, severe aortic regurgitation leading to heart failure in 10, and severe narrowing of the aortic ostium of the right coronary artery in 1 patient. Of the 40 patients who had undergone serologic testing for syphilis, 28 (70%) had a positive (reactive) finding. Those patients with a negative or nonreactive test or who did not undergo a serologic test for syphilis had morphologic and histologic findings in the aorta at necropsy similar to the findings of those patients who had had a positive serologic test for syphilis. In conclusion, cardiovascular syphilis has not disappeared. In patients with dilated ascending aortas, with or without aortic regurgitation, a serologic test for syphilis is recommended. If the findings are positive or if characteristic morphologic features of cardiovascular syphilis are suspected, irrespective of the results of the serologic tests, antibiotic therapy appears desirable.

Comparison of interpretations of valve structure between cardiac surgeon and cardiac pathologist among adults having isolated aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis (+/- aortic regurgitation).

Most studies concerning aortic valve structure in patients having aortic valve replacement have utilized the valve structure (unicuspid, bicuspid, tricuspid) as that called by the cardiac surgeon performing the operation. We determined valve structure of 744 operatively excised stenotic aortic valves submitted to the surgical pathology laboratory of a single hospital over a 6-year period and then compared valve structure determined by a single cardiac pathologist (WCR) with that recorded in the operative report dictated by the operating surgeon. Compared with that determined from examination of the operatively excised valve by the cardiac pathologist, valve structure determined at operation was congruous in 59% (440 of 744 patients), incongruous in 20% (152 of 744), of uncertain structure in 1% (9 of 744), and not mentioned in 19% (143 of 744). Valve structure was virtually always congruous (278 of 280 cases, 99%) in patients with 3-cuspid valves, less so with bicuspid valves (156 of 280, 56%), and infrequently so with unicuspid valves (6 of 41, 15%). In conclusion, in patients having isolated aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis, the structure of the valve by the operating surgeon was similar (99%) to that described by 1 of us (WCR) when a 3-cuspid aortic valve was excised, but less so when a congenitally unicuspid (15%) or bicuspid (56%) valve was excised.