INTRODUCTION Degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent cause among aortic valve stenotic changes. Mini Sternotomy Aortic Valve Replacement is a replacement of aortic valve through upper partial sternotomy. AIM The aim of this approach is to improve postoperative convalescence by leaving pleural spaces closed and do not compromise respiratory function, to decrease bleeding, and re...

A 79-year-old man underwent trans-catheter aortic valve replacement for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis with a 26-mm Edwards SAPIEN XT valve. Immediately after valve deployment there was moderate amount of paravalvular leak. Post-dilation was performed with an additional 2 cc of volume, and the paravalvular leak was reduced to trace. Nine months later, trans-thoracic echocardiography reveale...

Twenty-three patients critically ill from aortic valvular disease underwent emergency aortic valve replacement as a life-saving measure. Sixteen patients (70%) survived hospitalization and 14 (61%) are presently living. Of eighteen patients who underwent solitary aortic valve replacement, there were four hospital deaths and two late deaths. Five patients required double valve surgery, with thre...

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with a small aortic annulus is a challenging issue. The importance of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) post aortic valve replacement (AVR) is controversial but has to be avoided. Many studies support the fact that PPM has a negative impact on short and long term survival. In order to avoid PPM, aortic root enlargement may be performed. Alternatively a...

A 28-year-old man underwent aortic valve replacement and excision of abscess cavity for staphylococcus aureus endocarditis. A large pseudoaneurysm was found on CTangiogram 4 years later (Figs. 1 and 2). This was successfully treated with a redo aortic valve replacement, patch false aneurysm and replacement ascending aorta. www.elsevier.com/locate/ejcts European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surger...

The patient is a 75-year-old man with a history significant for hypertension and congestive heart failure who underwent a bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement secondary to acute onset of aortic insufficiency. Cultures of the native valve were positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis sensitive to nafcillin and intravenous cefazolin was initiated. On postoperative day 24, he developed acute deco...

Aortic stenosis is one of the more commonly encountered disease processes in valvular heart disease, affecting over 300,000 people worldwide. Surgical replacement of the aortic valve has been the mainstay of therapy for decades; however, in certain patients with prohibitively high-risk comorbidities, surgery is not a viable option. The advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement has come t...

OBJECTIVE The optimal diameter at which replacement of the ascending aorta should be performed in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease is not known. METHODS We reviewed all patients with bicuspid aortic valves undergoing aortic valve replacement at our institution from 1979 through 1993 (n = 201). Patients undergoing concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta were excluded. RESUL...

OBJECTIVES The present study evaluates the long-term course of aortic valve disease and the need for aortic valve surgery in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease who underwent mitral valve surgery. BACKGROUND Little is known about the natural history of aortic valve disease in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery for rheumatic mitral valve disease. In addition there is no firm pol...