E/e' ratio and left atrial area are predictors of atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in about 20%-25% of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and is associated with increased risk of cardioembolism and heart failure impacting on patients' morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify echocardiographic predictors of AF in a cohort of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHODS: Patients were recruited from 2 centers: Buenos Aires Cardiovascular Institute and the Hospital Vall d'Hebron of Barcelona which were analyzed together. Retrospective study using electronic charts. RESULTS: A total of 321 patients with HCM and no documented history of AF were included. Median follow-up was 3 years. Mean age was 54 ± 16 years. Obstructive HCM was present in 41% of the patients, and 94.2% had preserved systolic function. Thirty-eight patients developed AF during the follow-up period (11.8%). Univariate analysis showed that age, maximum myocardial thickness, atrial area, an E/e' ratio ≥ 17, and systolic pulmonary pressure estimated by echocardiography were associated with new-onset AF. Multivariate analysis showed that E/e' ≥ 17 ratio {HR 3.27 ([1.10-9.27] P = .033)} and atrial area {HR 1.06 ([1.01-1.13] P = .037)} remained predictors of AF. CONCLUSIONS: An E/e' ratio ≥ 17, as an expression of left ventricular filling pressures with impact on the left atrium, and left atrial area ≥28 cm2 are strong predictors of AF in patients with HCM.

Shone's syndrome: Insights from three-dimensional echocardiography.

Shone's syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly defined as the presence of at least two of the following heart obstructions: a mitral supravalvular ring, a "parachute" mitral valve stenosis, subaortic stenosis, and aortic coarctation. A 58-year-old man presented with a mitral ring and a "parachute" mitral valve on two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography, raising suspicion of Shone's syndrome. Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography revealed a subannular mitral ring inserted directly on the mitral leaflets, thus acting as a "valvar ring." This distinction can have therapeutic implications as a "valvar" mitral ring could require valve repair or replacement, instead of simple resection.

Three-dimensional echocardiography for predicting postoperative ventricular volumes after surgical ventricular reconstruction of left ventricular aneurysm: A case-based presentation.

Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) may have a role in predicting final left ventricular volumes and clinical response after the surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR) of left ventricular aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms. Left ventricle final volumes can be calculated through "virtual aneurysmectomy." We present a patient with a huge ventricular dilation combined with myocardial dissection, localized wall rupture, and aneurysm of the left ventricular apex after acute myocardial infarction in which accurate predictions from 3DTTE suggest potential clinical value.

Utility of Real Time 3D Echocardiography for the Assessment of Left Ventricular Mass in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Comparison with Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have irregular ventricular shapes with small and sometimes obliterated cavities at end-systole that affect the quantification of left ventricular mass (LVM) by conventional methods, such as M-mode or two-dimensional echocardiography. The goal of this study was to validate the use of real time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) to quantify LVM using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as a reference, in a large population of patients with different types of HCM. METHODS: Forty-eight consecutive patients with HCM had a complete transthoracic examination and CMR performed within 7 days. LVM was calculated by M-mode and RT3DE and compared to CMR that served as gold standard. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass calculated by RT3DE was 195 ± 41 g and 187 ± 49 g by CMR. The correlation between the two methods was moderate, with a Lin index of 0.63 and good linear correlation (r = 0.63, P < 0.0001). The correlation was high when RT3DE was of high or adequate image quality. The correlation between LVM by M-mode and CMR was poor. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional echocardiography is an accurate method for the quantification of LVM in patients with different subtypes of HCM that is in better agreement with CMR reference values than M-mode measurements.

Papillary muscle rupture associated to essential thrombocytosis.

Essential thrombocytosis (ET) falls under the umbrella of myeloproliferative disorders, which also includes chronic myelogenous leukemia, polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia. Essential thrombocytosis results from a clonal proliferation of megakaryocites within the bone marrow, leading to an absolute elevation of platelets that can cause both hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications.

Lateral left ventricular wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction: pathophysiological interpretation by multimodality imaging approach.

Lateral left ventricular wall rupture (LVWR) is a rare complication following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) less than 1%. After cardiogenic shock, LVWR constitutes the most common cause of in-hospital death in AMI patients. Around 40% of all LVWR occurred during the first 24 hours and 85% within the first week. In the present case, 76 hours following the intervention, LVWR was observed likely due to a small infarction at the lateral left ventricular wall possibly due to the marginal lesion. Our patient refused surgery and was followed clinically. Eighteen months later, real time three-dimensional echocardiography showed a pseudoaneurysm.

Impact of contrast-enhanced echocardiography on the diagnostic algorithm of acute aortic dissection.

AIMS: To determine the usefulness of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of aortic dissection (AD) and in the assessment of findings necessary for adequate patient management. METHODS AND RESULTS: Conventional and contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) were performed in 128 consecutive patients with clinically suspected acute AD. Results were validated independently against intraoperative findings in 45 patients and computed tomography information in 83. Sensitivity and specificity of conventional TTE increased after contrast enhancement from 73.7 to 86.8% (P< 0.005) and 71.2 to 90.4% (P < 0.05), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of enhanced TTE were similar to conventional TOE in ascending aorta (93.3 vs. 95.6% and 97.6 vs. 96.4%, respectively) and in the arch (88.4 vs. 93.0% and 95.3 vs. 98.82%, respectively). Contrast-enhanced TOE permitted the location of non-visualized entry tear in seven cases (10.6%), helped to correctly identify the true lumen in six (9.1%), and diagnosed retrograde dissection in nine (13.6%). CONCLUSION: Contrast enhancement substantially improves TTE in the diagnosis of AD and should be considered as the initial imaging modality in the emergency setting. Contrast enhancement also has significant value for obtaining critical morphological and haemokinetic information by TOE useful for adequate patient management.

Usefulness of Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Celiac Trunk and Superior Mesenteric Artery Involvement in Acute Aortic Dissection.

Mesenteric ischemia is a serious complication of acute aortic dissection (AAD), and its early diagnosis is vital for prognosis and appropriate treatment indication. Arteries affected by this complication are the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery, and their evaluation is usually based on computed tomographic angiography. Transesophageal echocardiography is also a useful technique for diagnosing AAD and is essential in monitoring surgical or endovascular treatment when computed tomographic angiography is not available. However, the usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography for evaluating celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery involvement and mesenteric ischemia mechanisms in AAD is not well established. Real-time information on mesenteric malperfusion is needed at the bedside, in primary care facilities, and in the operating room to achieve prompt diagnosis and better therapeutic management. The aims of this review are to assess the role of TEE to diagnose celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery involvement in AAD, determine the mechanisms that can cause flow obstruction in patients with mesenteric ischemia, and analyze possible implications in the treatment of this complication.

Differences in the extent of fibrosis in obstructive and nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction is a key feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) that identifies patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes. Previous studies have hypothesized that LVOT obstruction enhances myocardial fibrosis and increases left ventricular (LV) filling pressures, producing greater clinical deterioration. However, this hypothesis has not been demonstrated in a clinical cohort comparing obstructive and nonobstructive patients. METHODS: Patients with HCM in whom Doppler echocardiography was performed within 30 days of cardiac MRI were enrolled, using the E/e' ratio to assess LV diastolic function and late gadolinium enhancement to evaluate the extent of fibrosis. Data were assorted according to LVOT obstruction status at rest. RESULTS: The current study enrolled 67 patients who were mostly middle-aged (56.8 ±â€Š13.2 years old) men (75%) with preserved ejection fraction. Obstructive HCM presented a significant association with a high fibrosis extent [odds ratio (OR) 3.33; P = 0.034] which was maintained after adjusting for sex and age (OR 4.37; P = 0.016) but not for maximum LV wall thickness (OR 2.13; P = 0.225). Obstructive HCM was also associated with a clinically significant E/e' ratio more than 14 (OR 7.8; P = 0.001) which decreased slightly after adjusting for age, sex and maximum LV thickness (OR 6.54; P = 0.014). There was a significant association between an E/e' ratio more than 14 and the extent of fibrosis (OR 1.29; P < 0.001) which was maintained after adjusting for age, sex and maximum LV wall thickness (OR 1.36; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: LVOT obstruction may play a role in the extent of fibrosis in HCM, possibly conditioning greater diastolic dysfunction.

Surgical Treatment of Dysphagia Lusoria Caused by Right-Aortic Arch with Kommerell Diverticulum: Left Heart Bypass without Subclavian Revascularization.

The authors present the case of a 26-year-old patient suffering from dysphagia because of compression by a Kommerell diverticulum in right aortic arch anomaly. Open surgical arch and descending aorta replacement with left heart bypass without left subclavian artery reimplantation was performed.

Clinical Implications of Focal Intimal Disruption in Patients With Type B Intramural Hematoma.

BACKGROUND: Focal intimal disruption (FID) has been described in >20% of type B intramural hematomas (IMH), with unclear prognosis and management. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term evolution of medically treated patients with type B IMH with and without FID. METHODS: There were 107 consecutive patients with acute type B IMH were included prospectively in a multicenter protocol of clinical and imaging follow-up. FID was defined as an intimal disruption with contrast material-filled outpouching from the aorta lumen with a communicating orifice of >3 mm. RESULTS: There were 43 patients (40%) who developed an FID with larger basal maximum aortic diameter and hematoma thickness. Patients with acute FID had a higher risk of aorta-related events than those without FID (hazard ratio: 24.43; 95% confidence interval: 7.65 to 78.04; p < 0.001). Of the 94 discharged patients, 33 (35%) developed an FID within the first 6 months of follow-up: 19 evolved with mild (<1 mm/year), 8 with moderate (1 to 2 mm/year), and 6 with severe (>2 mm/year) aortic enlargement. Chronic FID was not associated with aorta-related events (hazard ratio: 0.98; 95% confidence interval: 0.22 to 4.34; p = 0.987). CONCLUSIONS: The development of FID in the acute phase of type B IMH has a poor prognosis owing to the high risk of aortic rupture. In the chronic phase, most FIDs evolve with slow aortic dilation and without complications. Although acute FIDs should be treated early and invasively, lesions developing in the subacute-chronic phase can be managed with medical treatment and close imaging surveillance.

Estimation of Prevalence of the Left Ventricular Noncompaction Among Adults.

The prevalence of left ventricular noncompacted myocardium (LVNC) is not clearly defined yet. The goal of this study was to prospectively assess the prevalence of LVNC in a population of patients assessed for cardiovascular disease and to analyze the coincidence between observers using the echocardiographic criteria for diagnosis of LVNC. We included patients prospectively during a 1-year period. To analyze the concordance between different observers, we performed a blind analysis of 50 patients between 7 operators to calculate Kappa index for each criteria. The analysis of concordance for final diagnosis of LVNC was free-marginal kappa: 0.94. A total of 10,857 patients underwent echocardiography; 2,931 (27%) were normal. LVNC was found in 26 patients (prevalence = 0.24%), 16 patients were women, mean age of 52.6 years. Patients were divided into 2 groups; group A: ejection fraction (EF) <50% (n = 20) and group B: normal systolic function (n = 6). Among abnormal studies, 294 (2.7%) were dilated cardiomyopathies (DCs) Patients with LVNC and EF <50% comprised 6.8% of DC (20 of 294) and 24% (20 of 75) of patients with idiopathic DC (p <0.0001). Group A patients were older and with less presence of women (both p <0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of LVNC in a population assessed for cardiovascular diseases is low. In contrast, it is very high in the subgroup of patients with idiopathic DC. The group of patients with LVNC and normal LVEF is younger and with a higher presence of women than those with LVNC and depressed LVEF. Coincidence between operators is very good for the identification of echocardiographic criteria.

Long-term follow-up of aortic intramural hematoma: predictors of outcome.

BACKGROUND: Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) evolves very dynamically in the short-term to regression, dissection, or aortic rupture. The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term clinical and morphological evolution of medically treated IMH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty of 68 consecutive patients with aortic IMH monitored clinically and by imaging techniques at 3, 6, and 12 months and annually thereafter were prospectively studied. Mean follow-up was 45+/-31 months. In the first 6 months, total IMH regression was observed in 14 and progression to aortic dissection in 18 patients; in 14 of these, the dissection was localized, and 12 later developed pseudoaneurysm. At the end of follow-up, the IMH had regressed completely without dilatation in 17 patients (34%), progressed to classical dissection in 6 (12%), evolved to fusiform aneurysm in 11 (22%), evolved to saccular aneurysm in 4 (8%), and evolved to pseudoaneurysm in 12 (24%). Evolution to dissection was related to echolucency (P<0.02) and to longitudinal extension of IMH (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed an independent association between regression and smaller maximum aortic diameter and between aneurysm formation and atherosclerotic ulcerated plaque and absence of echolucent areas in IMH. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent long-term evolution of IMH is to aortic aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm. Complete regression without changes in aorta size is observed in one third of cases, and progression to classical dissection is less common. A normal aortic diameter in the acute phase is the best predictor of IMH regression without complications, and absence of echolucent areas and atherosclerotic ulcerated plaque are associated with evolution to aortic aneurysm.

Prognostic utility of ischemic response in functional imaging tests (SPECT or stress echocardiography) in low-risk unstable angina patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine the ability of ischemic response in imaging stress tests (single-photon emission computed tomography [SPECT] or stress echocardiography [SE]) to predict events in low-risk unstable angina patients. METHODS: Three hundred and fifty-nine patients with unstable angina (< 24 h), asymptomatic at admission, without ST-segment elevation or depression, normal troponins, and undergoing SPECT (n = 188) or SE (n = 171) during hospitalization (median = 1 day) were included. A positive imaging test (IMAGING+) was defined as the presence of reversible perfusion defects or wall motion abnormalities in at least 2 contiguous segments. Multivariate models were constructed using these results and clinical variables to predict events at 6 months. RESULTS: Ninety-nine (27%) patients had IMAGING+, 72/188 (38%) in SPECT and 27/17 (16%) in SE (p < 0.0001). Events occurred in 84 (23%) patients: 4 had myocardial infarction, 47 new hospitalizations due to angina and 33 coronary artery revascularizations. Independent predictors of coronary artery disease were: IMAGING+ (OR: 6.4, 95% CI: 3.4-11.8, p < 0.0001), history of coronary artery disease (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.2, p < 0.02) and TIMI risk (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.2, p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In low-risk unstable angina patients, an ischemic response in functional stress tests (SPECT or SE) was associated with adverse events and severe coronary artery disease.

Cardiac manifestations other than valvulopathy in antiphospholipid syndrome: long-time echocardiography follow-up study.

AIM: Non-valvular cardiac disease in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has been scanty studied. We wanted to assess the prevalence and evolution of left myocardial disease, pulmonary hypertension and intracardiac thrombi in a cohort of APS patients. METHOD: A total of 53 patients with APS, either primary (n = 34, 64%) or associated to lupus (n = 19, 36%) and 20 controls were included. Initial transthoracic echocardiography assessment was performed in patients at diagnosis, with echocardiography controls performed along mean follow-up of 12 years. Prevalence of myocardial disease in APS cohort was assessed taking into account primary risk factors (hemodynamically significant valvular disease, systemic hypertension, diabetes, alcoholism, myocardial infarction or myocarditis), the same as for pulmonary hypertension (severe left ventricular dysfunction or chronic lung disease). RESULTS: Left myocardial disease had a prevalence of 3.8% (2/53 patients), not different from controls (P = 0.12). Both patients had diastolic dysfunction grade I that maintained stability throughout echocardiographic follow-up period. Pulmonary hypertension had a prevalence of 11.3% (6/53 patients), not different from controls (P = 0.12); all cases were related to pulmonary embolism. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in baseline maintained stable pressures throughout follow-up in the absence of new thrombosis. Intracardiac thrombi had a prevalence of 1.8% (1/53 patients), not different from controls (P = 0.4), without changes along echocardiographic follow-up. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary hypertension is the most prevalent non-valvular cardiac manifestation in APS, with an evolution associated with thromboembolic disease, while left myocardial disease and intracardiac thrombi would be rare manifestations in APS.

[Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis of the aortic valve in a young woman]. / Endocarditis trombótica no bacteriana sobre válvula aórtica en mujer joven.

A 40-year-old woman without heart disease suffered two embolic episodes in both legs due to a thrombus of the aortic valve. Transesophageal echocardiography performed after the first episode was considered normal, but a second study performed after the second embolism demonstrated a thrombus in the non-coronary leaflet that failed to resolve with the intravenous administration of heparin for two weeks. Surgical excision of the mass revealed a thrombus on an otherwise healthy aortic valve. The case is interesting because it is an exceptional cause of systemic embolism and the patient did not present a prothrombotic status in coagulation studies. The 3 years of follow-up was uneventful.

Traumatic rupture of the tricuspid valve and multi-modality imaging.

INTRODUCTION: Motor vehicle accident (MVA) account for most cases of traumatic rupture of the tricuspid valve. Valve rupture during an MVA is generated by an abrupt deceleration coupled with an increase in right-side cardiac pressures (Valsalva maneuver and thorax compression). CASE: A 39-year-old asymptomatic man was referred for an echocardiogram due to the presence of a systolic murmur. He had no prior significant medical history, except for a remote MVA 3 years ago. Real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE) showed a tear in the body of the anterior leaflet and not at the cord, as was suggested by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE). Based on these findings, the mechanism was considered anterior leaflet rupture of the tricuspid valve, secondary to chest blunt trauma. The anterior leaflet was repaired using two polytetrafluoroethylene sutures, and tricuspid annuloplasty with an Edwards ring was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodality imaging helps to determine timing of surgery in asymptomatic traumatic tricuspid rupture. The combination of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging provide information of volumetric data and contractility of the right ventricle (RV) during follow-up. RT3DE gives information relevant to the morphological and functional characterization of the valve, allowing the planning of appropriate surgical procedure.

Influence of dynamic obstruction and hypertrophy location on diastolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease with marked genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. It is well known that obstructive septal forms of this disease entail worse clinical outcome compared with nonobstructive septal and apical forms. The objective of this study was to analyze the differences in left ventricular diastolic function in different subgroups of HCMs and to assess the influence of the location of myocardial hypertrophy and the presence of dynamic obstruction on impairment of diastolic function and its correlation with the clinical status. METHODS: We studied 86 patients with HCM; 27 with the obstructive asymmetric septal type (OAS), 37 with the nonobstructive asymmetric septal type (NOAS) and 22 with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM). Patients underwent conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography and were assessed applying the latest recommendations regarding diastolic dysfunction. Cardiac magnetic resonance was used to study the various morphologic subtypes and quantify left ventricular mass (LVM). RESULTS: The early diastolic annular velocity (e') was significantly lower in OAS with a median of 5 cm/s compared with NOAS with 7 cm/s and ApHCM with 7.5 cm/s (P = 0.0002), and the E/e' ratio was 8.5 in ApHCM, 10 in NOAS and 14 in OAS (P = 0.0001); no significant differences were found in LVM or maximal wall thickness. CONCLUSION: In HCM, the location of left ventricular hypertrophy and the presence of dynamic obstruction affect the degree of diastolic dysfunction; impairment is greater in patients with the OAS type, and markedly less in patients with apical involvement.

Miocardiopatía dilatada: ¿cuándo y cómo proceder a la investigación etiológica? / Dilated cardiomyopathy: when and how to proceed to etiological diagnosis?

Resumen: La miocardiopatía dilatada (MCD) es la forma más común de disfunción ventricular con una prevalencia en adultos de alrededor de 1/2.500 individuos. Durante muchos años la forma más descripta de MCD en los registros fue la idiopática. En los últimos diez años, los avances en las imágenes y la genética han permitido identificar formas específicas dentro de este grupo que llamábamos comúnmente idiopático. El estudio de los pacientes con MCD debe seguir los pasos habituales, comenzando con el trabajo clínico, evaluación de antecedentes personales y familiares, examen físico, y análisis profundo de electrocardiograma y ecocardiograma. La identificación de las características clínicas sugestivas de enfermedades específicas debería conducir a un trabajo de diagnóstico de segundo nivel que puede incluir análisis bioquímicos específicos, resonancia cardíaca, estudios anatomopatológicos y genéticos. A continuación repasamos estrategias para la mejor identificación de etiologías específicas.

Summary: Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common form of ventricular dysfunction with an adult prevalence of about 1 / 2.500 individuals. For many years the most described form of dilated cardiomyopathy in the registries was the idiopathic form. In the last ten years, advances in imaging and genetics have made it possible to identify specific forms within this group that we commonly called idiopathic. The study of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy should follow the usually steps, beginning with clinical work, evaluation of personal and family history, physical examination, and deep electrocardiogram analysis and echocardiography. The identification of clinical features suggestive of specific diseases should lead to a second-level diagnostic work that may include specific biochemical analyzes, cardiac resonance, anatomopathological and genetic studies. Next, we review strategies for the best identification of specific etiologies.

Aneurisma de aorta ascendente: ¿cuál es el riesgo de reemplazar la raíz? / Ascending Aorta Aneurysm: What is the Risk of Replacing the Aortic Root?

RESUMEN Introducción: El riesgo-beneficio del reemplazo de los senos de Valsalva con el consiguiente reimplante coronario frente a la alternativa de mantenerlos, cuando hay dilataciones moderadas de la raíz, es un tópico que se debe definir. Objetivo: Analizar la morbimortalidad posoperatoria y a largo plazo en pacientes sometidos a reemplazo de la raíz aórtica comparados con aquellos en los que se han respetado los senos de Valsalva. Material y métodos: Entre 2002 y 2016, a 426 pacientes se les realizó reemplazo de aorta ascendente. Tras excluir de esa población las cirugías de urgencia, las aortopatías genéticas (excepto bicúspide), las reoperaciones y las cirugías del arco, se conformó una población de 259 pacientes. En 99 de ellos (38,2%) se reemplazó la aorta ascendente conservando la raíz; estos pacientes fueron comparados con los 160 (61,8%) pacientes restantes, en quienes se reemplazaron los senos de Valsalva. Resultados: El grupo en el que se preservó la raíz fue más añoso, con más mujeres, con un Euroscore mayor, con mayor incidencia de válvula bicúspide y enfermedad coronaria. El tiempo de circulación extracorpórea fue mayor en el grupo en el que se reemplazó la raíz. La mortalidad hospitalaria no fue diferente (1% para la conservación de raíz vs. 3,1% para el reemplazo de los senos de Valsalva (p = 0,272). En el análisis multivariado, el tiempo de circulación extracorpórea fue predictor de mortalidad posoperatoria. La sobrevida a 8 años no mostró diferencias significativas entre grupos. En el seguimiento, ningún paciente requirió reoperación debido a complicaciones de la aorta. En el análisis multivariado, la edad y la presencia de enfermedad valvular mitral fueron predictores de mortalidad alejada. Conclusión: El reemplazo de la aorta ascendente, ya sea reemplazando la raíz o respetando los senos de Valsalva, es una cirugía segura, con baja morbimortalidad hospitalaria. A largo plazo, la preservación de los senos de Valsalva no se asocia con más eventos ni con mayor mortalidad.

ABSTRACT Background: In mildly dilated aortic root, the cost-benefit of replacing of the sinuses of Valsalva with reimplantation of the coronary arteries or preserving them is still a matter of debate. Objective: The goal of this study was to analyze the postoperative and long-term morbidity and mortality of patients undergo-ing aortic root replacement versus aortic root surgery with sinuses of Valsalva preservation. Methods: Between 2002 and 2016, 426 patients underwent replacement of the ascending aorta. After excluding patients under-going urgent procedures, genetic aortic diseases (except for bicuspid aortic valve), reoperations and surgery of the aortic arch, the cohort was made up of 259 patients. In 99 of them (38.2%) the ascending aorta was replaced, preserving the aortic root; these patients were compared with the remaining 160 (61.8%) patients who underwent replacement of the sinuses of Valsalva. Results: Patients undergoing preservation of the aortic root were older, had higher percentage of female sex, higher EuroSCORE and with greater incidence of bicuspid aortic valve and coronary artery disease. Cardiopulmonary bypass time was longer in the group undergoing aortic root replacement. There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality between both groups (1% in the group with preservation of the aortic root vs. 3.1% for replacement of the sinuses of Valsalva, p=0.272). Multivariate analysis showed that cardiopulmonary bypass was a predictor of in-hospital mortality. Survival at 8 years was similar in both groups. There were no new operations due to complications in the aorta during follow-up. At multivariate analysis, age and mitral valve disease were identified as predictors of long-term mortality. Conclusion: Replacement of the ascending aorta, either replacing the aortic root or preserving the sinuses of Valsalva, is a safe procedure, with low in-hospital mortality. Preservation of the sinuses of Valsalva is not associated with greater rate of events or mortality at the long-term.