Successful Repair of a Forme Fruste Bicuspid Aortic Valve by the Raphe Suspension Technique.

A 52-year-old man underwent surgery due to shortness of breath caused by severe aortic regurgitation with right coronary cusp prolapse. Operative findings revealed 3 symmetric cusps with small raphe between the right and noncoronary cusps situated lower than the others, indicating a forme fruste bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). The BAV was successfully repaired by tricuspidization, including raphe suspension, right coronary cusp plication, and double annuloplasty. The postoperative course was uneventful, and echocardiography at 3 months showed mild aortic regurgitation with adequate left ventricular reverse remodeling. Here we present the technical details of the raphe suspension procedure for forme fruste BAV.

The efficacy of sinus plication in aortic valvuloplasty for bicuspid aortic valve: experiments in a pulsatile flow simulation model.

OBJECTIVES: Sinus plication has emerged as a promising tool that can lead to better stability in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) repair. However, the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of this technique are unclear. We evaluated the hydrodynamic effect of sinus plication using the experimental pulsatile flow simulator and our original BAV model in vitro. METHODS: Based on the computed tomography data of a BAV patient who had undergone aortic valvuloplasty, a BAV model (group C, n = 6) was developed with bovine pericardium and vascular prosthesis (J-graft Shield Neo Valsalva 24 mm). We performed sinus plication (group SP, n = 6) in the BAV model and compared hydrodynamic data with the control model in the pulsatile flow simulator. Non-fused cusp angle, annulus diameter and effective height were measured by ultrasonography. RESULTS: The average flow was significantly increased in group SP compared to group C (4.24 ± 0.14 l/min vs 4.14 ± 0.15 l/min, respectively, P = 0.034). The mean transvalvular pressure gradient and regurgitant fraction were significantly decreased in group SP compared to group C (11.6 ± 4.3 mmHg vs 16.6 ± 5.0 mmHg, respectively, P = 0.009 and 14.1 ± 2.0% vs 17.4 ± 2.1%, respectively, P = 0.001). Ultrasound measurement indicated that non-fused cusp angle was significantly increased in group SP compared to group C (163.8° ± 9.2° vs 153.0° ± 4.6°, respectively, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Sinus plication in the BAV model significantly increased the commissural angle. It was effective in not only controlling regurgitation but also improving valve opening. These finding should be confirmed by evaluating cusp stress and/or long-term durability in the future studies.

Aortic root destruction after aortic valvuloplasty for bicuspid aortic valve.

Ultrasound cardiography showed severe aortic regurgitation (AR) due to bicuspid aortic valve with dilatation of the aortic annulus and sinotubular junction in a 27-year-old man hospitalized with loss of consciousness. He underwent aortic valvuloplasty combined with external suture annuloplasty using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) suture. Intraoperative findings revealed thickening and adhesion of the aortic root despite the first surgery. He developed recurrent AR 7 months later and underwent redo surgery. An ePTFE suture was found inside the aorta. Aortic root replacement with a mechanical composite graft was performed, as reconstruction appeared difficult because the aortic annulus was damaged and there were multiple holes on all cusps. Here, we report a rare case of aortic root destruction after external suture annuloplasty.

External suture annuloplasty for mild to moderate and moderate aortic regurgitation due to an isolated type Ic lesion.

OBJECTIVE: Whether mild to moderate and moderate aortic regurgitation should be corrected surgically during other cardiovascular surgeries remains controversial. We evaluated the effectiveness of external suture annuloplasty in such cases. METHODS: Among 95 patients undergoing aortic valve repair between December 2013 and March 2018, five patients with mild to moderate and moderate aortic regurgitation due to aortic annulus dilatation (type Ic lesion) underwent surgery for mitral regurgitation and/or thoracic aortic aneurysm. Aortic valves were repaired with external suture annuloplasty alone with a mean Hegar dilator size of 20.4 ± 0.8 (20.0-22.0) mm at the same time and were followed up echocardiographically. RESULTS: There were no cases of mortality or major morbidity. Intraoperative direct measurement revealed ventriculoaortic junction size of 25.0 ± 0.8 (24.0-27.0) mm. The average cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamping time were 139 ± 46 (76-205) min and 105 ± 38 (58-172) min, respectively. Postoperative transthoracic echocardiogram during hospitalization showed trivial aortic regurgitation in all cases, with average ventriculoaortic junction size, aortic valve area, and peak and mean transvalvular gradient of 19.1 ± 0.7 (18.0-20.3) mm, 2.24 ± 0.48 (1.60-3.00) cm2, 6.4 ± 1.9 (4.0-9.2) mmHg, and 3.5 ± 1.1 (2.1-5.2) mmHg, respectively. Ventriculoaortic junction size was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). There have been no changes in ventriculoaortic junction size (P = 0.32) or other echocardiographic findings for 24 ± 6 (17-36) months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although concomitant with other cardiac surgeries, mild to moderate and moderate aortic regurgitation could be repaired without clinically relevant additional surgical duration. External suture annuloplasty is a useful, safe, and secure treatment choice for type Ic lesion-induced aortic regurgitation.

Aortic annulus does not dilate over time after aortic root remodeling with or without annuloplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The lack of annular stabilization is the drawback of aortic root remodeling, and recently the addition of annuloplasty has been proposed. Limited data, however, exist on late annular size after remodeling. We studied annular size over time. METHODS: In 241 patients (53 ± 16 years) annular size was determined preoperatively (T0), before discharge (T1), and at least 2 years after remodeling (T2, 54 ± 27 months) with (n = 52) or without external suture annuloplasty. Seventeen patients had Marfan syndrome (7%), 100 a bicuspid valve (41%), and 22 acute dissection (9%). Mean graft size was 25.2 ± 1.3 mm, and annuloplasty size 24.3 ± 1.4 mm. RESULTS: Annular size was significantly reduced after repair and remained stable over time (T0: 27.4 ± 3.0 mm, T1: 24.2 ± 2.5 mm, T2: 24.2 ± 2.6 mm). After propensity-score matching (n = 33 each), baseline annular size was similar (with annuloplasty vs without: 28.7 ± 4.1 mm vs 27.8 ± 2.8 mm). Annular reduction was less effective without annuloplasty (23.9 ± 2.0 mm vs 25.6 ± 2.2 mm, P < .01); size was identical at follow-up (23.8 ± 2.2 mm vs 25.1 ± 2.5 mm, P = .03). After matching, freedom from annular size increase >10% at 4 years was 93 ± 5% without annuloplasty and 91 ± 9% with annuloplasty (P = .92). A linear mixed-effects model identified no significant effect of annuloplasty on annulus diameter change at T2 (P = .48). Era after 2004, Marfan syndrome, and smaller annulus diameter at discharge were the independent predictors for late annular expansion. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic annulus rarely dilates over time after remodeling. In the case of annular dilatation, annuloplasty normalizes annular size and may prevent further dilatation by enhancing cusp coaptation. Even without annuloplasty, the aortic annulus becomes smaller compared with preoperative dimensions when aortic valve remains competent.

A nationwide survey of aortic valve surgery in Japan: current status of valve preservation in cases with aortic regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: Although aortic valve-sparing operations are performed throughout Japan, the indications, specific repair techniques, and outcomes have not been reported in full. Thus, we conducted the first nationwide survey of aortic valve-sparing surgery. METHODS: We mailed a questionnaire to 508 institutions across Japan to obtain information on elective aortic valve and aortic root surgeries performed in 2014. Included in the mailing was a secondary questionnaire that sought further information from institutions reporting aortic valve-sparing surgeries. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty (49%) institutions responded and reported a total of 7859 aortic valve operations and 771 aortic root operations. Aortic valve operations performed strictly for aortic regurgitation totaled 2080, 156 (8%) of which were aortic valve repairs. Of the 699 aortic root surgeries performed for aortic regurgitation, 236 (34%) were valve-sparing root replacement surgeries. The valve-sparing root replacement surgeries comprised aortic valve reimplantation (n = 173, 73%) and aortic root remodeling (n = 63, 27%). Five of 57 (9%) institutions were responsible for 42% (99/233) of the total aortic valve-sparing surgeries performed. Detailed information that was obtained for 233 patients who underwent aortic valve repair or valve-sparing root replacement showed 30-day mortality and reoperation for regurgitation after aortic valve repair (n = 97), aortic root remodeling (n = 37), and aortic valve reimplantation (n = 99) to be 1, 0, and 1% and 3, 3, and 1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: To date, aortic valve-sparing operations have been performed for limited patients at limited institution in Japan, but the early outcomes have been excellent.