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Aortic stenosis surgery

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D.[2]; Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [3]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [4] Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [5]

Overview

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Claudia P. Hochberg, M.D. [3]; Abdul-Rahman Arabi, M.D. [4]; Keri Shafer, M.D. [5]; Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [6]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [7] Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [8]

Overview

Surgical intervention may be a necessary component of treatment for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Aortic valve replacement is the mainstay of treatment of symptomatic aortic stenosis, as it improves both the symptoms and life expectancy in aortic stenosis patients, in contrast to medical therapy alone which may improve the symptoms without prolonging life expectancy. Intervention methods may include: a) Aortic valve replacement, mechanical and device based therapies such as bileaflet mechanical aortic valves; b) Aortic Balloon Valvotomy, aortic valvuloplasty (aortic valve repair).

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement is in its infancy and thus aortic valvuloplasty can offer palliation of symptoms and potentially prolong survival for these high risk patients in class III-IV heart failure. It can be performed emergently in patients with end-stage heart failure due to aortic stenosis, patients in cardiogenic shock, as a bridge to aortic valve replacement, patients with critical aortic stenosis needing emergent non-cardiac surgery, poor surgical candidates and nonagenerians, patients with congenital or rheumatic aortic stenosis. Valvuloplasty tends to alleviate heart failure symptoms and improve hemodynamics but rarely does it alleviate angina.

In open surgery, the surgeon makes a large cut in the sternum to reach the heart.

Minimally invasive aortic valve surgery is done through much smaller surgical cuts than the large cuts needed for open surgery.

Epidemiology and Demographics

The number of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery to treat aortic stenosis has increased progressively over the past 10 years. The surgery is usually performed in elderly patients with preserved ejection fractions. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents a new option in patients with no surgical options.

Indications

Aortic stenosis requires aortic valve replacement if medical management does not successfully control symptoms. According to a prospective, single-center, nonrandomized study of 25 patients, percutaneous implantation of an aortic valve prosthesis in high risk patients with aortic stenosis results in marked hemodynamic and clinical improvement when successfully completed.[1]

Treatment

Procedure

The procedure can be done either by the traditional open heart surgery or by the minimally invasive surgery. Before the surgery, the patient will receive general anesthesia. This will make the patient asleep and pain-free during the entire procedure. Other than the aortic valve replacement surgery; aortic stenosis could be treated by: percutaneous aortic balloon valvotomy or transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

References

  1. Grube E, Laborde JC, Gerckens U; et al. (2006). “Percutaneous implantation of the CoreValve self-expanding valve prosthesis in high-risk patients with aortic valve disease: the Siegburg first-in-man study”. Circulation. 114 (15): 1616–24. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.639450. PMID 17015786.

Template:WH Template:WS CME Category::Cardiology

Epidemiology and Demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Usama Talib, BSc, MD [2]

Overview

The number of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery to treat aortic stenosis has increased progressively over the past 10 years. The surgery is usually performed in elderly patients with preserved ejection fractions. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents a new option in patients with no surgical options.

Epidemiology and Demographics

Demographics Among Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis

Among the 512 aortic stenosis patients who underwent valve replacement, 54.3% were elderly (more than 70 years), 80% had a preserved left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction >60%) and 85% had symptoms of heart failure (NYHA class II-IV).[1]

Frequency of Aortic Valve Replacement

The number of the aortic valve replacement procedures performed over the last 10 years has increased. Mitral valve surgery was constant during the same period. [2]

References

  1. Iung B, Baron G, Butchart EG, Delahaye F, Gohlke-Bärwolf C, Levang OW; et al. (2003). “A prospective survey of patients with valvular heart disease in Europe: The Euro Heart Survey on Valvular Heart Disease”. Eur Heart J. 24 (13): 1231–43. PMID 12831818.
  2. Passik CS, Ackermann DM, Pluth JR, Edwards WD (1987). “Temporal changes in the causes of aortic stenosis: a surgical pathologic study of 646 cases”. Mayo Clin Proc. 62 (2): 119–23. PMID 3807436.

Template:WH Template:WS CME Category::Cardiology

Indications

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Sara Zand, M.D.[2] Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [3]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [4] Synonyms and keywords: As; Aortic stenosis; AVR; Aortic valve replacement; LVEF; Left ventricular ejection fraction; LV; Left ventricle

Overview

In symptomatic patients with severe high-gradient AS (Stage D1), AVR has beneficial effect on survival, symptoms, and LV systolic function. In asymptomatic patients with severe AS and normal LV systolic function, the risk of sudden death (<1% per year) is low. In patients with a low LVEF and severe AS, survival is better with AVR than medical therapy.

Indications

. The rate of symptom onset is strongly dependent on the severity of AS.

2018 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines[8]

Therapeutic Recommendations for Subaortic Stenosis

Class I
1. Surgical intervention is recommended for adults with subAS, a maximum gradient 50 mm Hg or more and symptoms attributable to the subAS.(Level of Evidence: C-EO)
2.Surgical intervention is recommended for adults with subAS and less than 50 mm Hg maximum gradient and HF or ischemic symptoms, and/or LV systolic dysfunction attributable to subAS.

(Level of Evidence: C-LD)

Class IIb
1.To prevent the progression of AR, surgical intervention may be considered for asymptomatic adults with subAS and at least mild AR and a maximum gradient of 50 mm Hg or more.

(Level of Evidence: C-LD)





Recommendations for intervention in aortic stenosis
Symptomatic aortic stenosis:
(Class I, Level of Evidence B):

Intervention is considered in symptomatic patients with severe, high-gradient aortic stenosis, mean gradient ≥ 40 mmHg, peak velocity ≥ 4.0 m/s, and valve area ≤ 1.0 cm2 (or ≤ 0.6 cm2/m2)
❑ntervention is considered in symptomatic patients with severe low-flow (SVi ≤35 mL/m2), low-gradient (<40 mmHg) aortic stenosis with reduced ejection fraction (<50%), and evidence of flow (contractile) reserve

(Class IIa, Level of Evidence C):

Intervention is recommended in symptomatic severe AS with low-flow, low-gradient (<40 mmHg) aortic stenosis with normal ejection fraction
Intervention is recommended in symptomatic patients with low-flow, low-gradient severe aortic stenosis and reduced ejection fraction without flow (contractile) reserve, severe aortic stenosis proven by CCT calcium score

(Class III, Level of Evidence C) :

Intervention is not recommended in patients with severe comorbidities when the intervention is unlikely to improve quality of life or prolong survival >1 year

Asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis :
(Class I, Level of Evidence B):

Intervention is recommended in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and systolic LV dysfunction (LVEF < 50%) without another cause

(Class I, Level of Evidence C):

Intervention is recommended in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis, symptomtomatic on exercise testing

(Class IIa, Level of Evidence B):

Intervention should be considered in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and systolic LV dysfunction (LVEF <55%) without another cause

(Class IIa, Level of Evidence C):

Interventin is recommended in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis and a sustained fall inblood pressure (>20 mmHg) during exercise testing

(Class IIa, Level of Evidence B):

Intervention is considered in asymptomatic patients with LVEF >55% and a normal exercise test if the procedural risk is low and in the presence of one of the following:

Type of intervention:
(Class I, Level of Evidence C):

Aortic valve interventions should be performed in an experienced center

(Class I, Level of Evidence B):

SAVR is recommended in younger patients who are low risk for surgery (<75 yearse and STS PROM/EuroSCORE II <4%), or in patients who are operable and unsuitable for transfemoral TAVI
SAVR or TAVI are recommended for patients based on clinical, anatomical, and procedural characteristics

(Class I, Level of Evidence A):

TAVI is recommended in older patients (≥75 years), or in those who are high risk (STS PROM/EuroSCORE IIf>8%) or unsuitable for surgery

(Class IIb, Level of Evidence C):

❑ Non-transfemoral TAVI may be considered in patients who are inoperable and unsuitable for transfemoral TAVI
Balloon aortic valvotomy may be considered as a bridge to SAVR or TAVI in hemodynamically unstable patients and (if feasible) in those with severe aortic stenosis who require urgent high risk non-cardiac surgery

Abbreviations: BNP: B-type natriuretic peptide; CABG: Coronary artery bypass grafting; LV: Left ventricle; LVEF:Left ventricular ejection fraction ; CCT:Cardiac computed tomography; SAVR: Surgical aortic valve replacement; STS-PROM: Society of Thoracic Surgeons – predicted risk of mortality; SVi: Stroke volume index; TAVI:Transcatheter aortic valve implantation ; Vmax:Peak transvalvular velocity


The above table adopted from 2021 ESC Guideline[9]


 
 
 
 
Valvular AS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Low-gradient AS
  • Vmax < 4 m/s
  • ΔPm < 40 mmHg
 
 
 
High-gradient AS
  • Vmax ≥ 4 m/s,
  • ΔPm ≥ 40 mmHg
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    AVA ≤ 1.0 cm2
     
     
     
     
    High flow status
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Yes
     
    NO
  • Moderate AS
  •  
    Yes
  • Assessment of normal flow condition
  •  
     
    NO
  • Severe AS
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Normal flow
     
    Low flow
  • SVi ≤ 35 mL/m2
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Severe AS unlikely
     
    LVEF ≥ 50%
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    NO
     
    Yes
  • CCT to assess AV calcification
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    NO, CCT to assess AV calcification
     
    Yes, AVA ≤ 1.0 cm2
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Yes
     
    NO
  • Pseudo-severe AS
  •  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Abbreviations: AS: Aortic stenosis; AV: Aortic valve; AVA: Aortic valve area; LVEF: Left ventricular ejection fraction ; CT: Computed tomography; △Pm: Mean pressure gradient; DSE: Dobutamine stress echocardiography; LV: Left ventricular; SVi: Stroke volume index; Vmax: Peak transvalvular velocity



    The above table adopted from 2021 ESC Guideline[9]


    Recommendations for choice of Mechanical Versus Bioprosthetic AVR
    (Class I, Level of Evidence C):

    ❑ Decision should be made based on patients preference and values after discussion about the risks of anticoagulant therapy or the need for valve intervention
    ❑ Bioprothesis AVR is recommended when anticoagulant theray with VKA is contraindicated, not desired, or can not be managed

    (Class IIa, Level of Evidence B):

    ❑Mechanical aortic prothesis is preferred over bioprosthetic valve for patients < 50 years of age and no contraindication of anticoagulant therapy
    ❑For patients 50-65 years of age without contraindication of anticoagulant therapy, choosing either mechanical or bioprothesis aortic valve should be individualized based on patient factors
    ❑ For patients > 65 years of age, bioprosthetic aortic valve is preferred over mechanical aortic valve

    (Class IIb, Level of Evidence B):

    ❑For patients <50 years of age who desire bioprosthetic valve and appropriate anatomy, the Rose procedure including replacement of aortic valve by a pulmonic autograft may be considered

    The above table adopted from 2020 AHA Guideline[11]

    Abbreviations: AVR: Aortic valve replacement; VKA: Vitamin K antagonist

    References

    1. Rosenhek R, Binder T, Porenta G, Lang I, Christ G, Schemper M, Maurer G, Baumgartner H (August 2000). “Predictors of outcome in severe, asymptomatic aortic stenosis”. N Engl J Med. 343 (9): 611–7. doi:10.1056/NEJM200008313430903. PMID 10965007.
    2. Tribouilloy C, Lévy F, Rusinaru D, Guéret P, Petit-Eisenmann H, Baleynaud S, Jobic Y, Adams C, Lelong B, Pasquet A, Chauvel C, Metz D, Quéré JP, Monin JL (May 2009). “Outcome after aortic valve replacement for low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis without contractile reserve on dobutamine stress echocardiography”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 53 (20): 1865–73. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2009.02.026. PMID 19442886.
    3. Rosenhek R, Zilberszac R, Schemper M, Czerny M, Mundigler G, Graf S, Bergler-Klein J, Grimm M, Gabriel H, Maurer G (January 2010). “Natural history of very severe aortic stenosis”. Circulation. 121 (1): 151–6. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.894170. PMID 20026771.
    4. Bergler-Klein J, Klaar U, Heger M, Rosenhek R, Mundigler G, Gabriel H, Binder T, Pacher R, Maurer G, Baumgartner H (May 2004). “Natriuretic peptides predict symptom-free survival and postoperative outcome in severe aortic stenosis”. Circulation. 109 (19): 2302–8. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000126825.50903.18. PMID 15117847.
    5. Taniguchi T, Morimoto T, Shiomi H, Ando K, Kanamori N, Murata K, Kitai T, Kawase Y, Izumi C, Miyake M, Mitsuoka H, Kato M, Hirano Y, Matsuda S, Nagao K, Inada T, Murakami T, Takeuchi Y, Yamane K, Toyofuku M, Ishii M, Minamino-Muta E, Kato T, Inoko M, Ikeda T, Komasa A, Ishii K, Hotta K, Higashitani N, Kato Y, Inuzuka Y, Maeda C, Jinnai T, Morikami Y, Sakata R, Kimura T (December 2015). “Initial Surgical Versus Conservative Strategies in Patients With Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 66 (25): 2827–2838. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2015.10.001. PMID 26477634.
    6. Kang DH, Park SJ, Lee SA, Lee S, Kim DH, Kim HK, Yun SC, Hong GR, Song JM, Chung CH, Song JK, Lee JW, Park SW (January 2020). “Early Surgery or Conservative Care for Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis”. N Engl J Med. 382 (2): 111–119. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1912846. PMID 31733181.
    7. Taniguchi T, Morimoto T, Shiomi H, Ando K, Kanamori N, Murata K, Kitai T, Kadota K, Izumi C, Nakatsuma K, Sasa T, Watanabe H, Kuwabara Y, Makiyama T, Ono K, Shizuta S, Kato T, Saito N, Minatoya K, Kimura T (January 2018). “Prognostic Impact of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis”. JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 11 (2): 145–157. doi:10.1016/j.jcin.2017.08.036. PMID 29289632.
    8. Stout KK, Daniels CJ, Aboulhosn JA, Bozkurt B, Broberg CS, Colman JM; et al. (2019). “2018 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 73 (12): 1494–1563. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.1028. PMID 30121240.
    9. 9.0 9.1 Vahanian A, Beyersdorf F, Praz F, Milojevic M, Baldus S, Bauersachs J, Capodanno D, Conradi L, De Bonis M, De Paulis R, Delgado V, Freemantle N, Gilard M, Haugaa KH, Jeppsson A, Jüni P, Pierard L, Prendergast BD, Sádaba JR, Tribouilloy C, Wojakowski W (February 2022). “2021 ESC/EACTS Guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease”. Eur Heart J. 43 (7): 561–632. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehab395. PMID 34453165 Check |pmid= value (help).
    10. Fougères E, Tribouilloy C, Monchi M, Petit-Eisenmann H, Baleynaud S, Pasquet A, Chauvel C, Metz D, Adams C, Rusinaru D, Guéret P, Monin JL (October 2012). “Outcomes of pseudo-severe aortic stenosis under conservative treatment”. Eur Heart J. 33 (19): 2426–33. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehs176. PMID 22733832.
    11. Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, Carabello BA, Erwin JP, Gentile F, Jneid H, Krieger EV, Mack M, McLeod C, O’Gara PT, Rigolin VH, Sundt TM, Thompson A, Toly C (February 2021). “2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines”. Circulation. 143 (5): e35–e71. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932. PMID 33332149 Check |pmid= value (help).

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    Preoperative Evaluation

    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [3]

    Overview

    The preoperative assessment of patients undergoing surgery for aortic stenosis may include complete physical examination, echocardiogram (Doppler echocardiogram), cardiac catheterization, chest X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, electrocardiogram (ECG), electrophysiology tests , exercise tests, holter monitor, and magnetic resonance imaging.[1][2]

    Preoperative Evaluation

    The patient may need to have some tests before the procedure. The Cardiologist usually conducts a physical examination and diagnose the condition, he or she will assess the general health of the patient and will recommend the most appropriate treatment for the patient and if he or she needs surgery. Some of the tests that can be done before the procedure include:[1][2]

    Around 40% of patients with aortic stenosis that require surgery also have coronary artery disease.[3] Usually coronary artery disease is treated at the same operation if CABG (Coronary artery bypass grafting) is indicated.

    Studies showed that concurrent bypass surgery adds little morbidity to the valvular procedure and does not increase the mortality. The 2006 ACC/AHA guidelines on the treatment of valvular heart disease included recommendations for coronary angiography prior to valve surgery in those who are suspected to have coronary artery disease and in those at risk for coronary disease.[2] A noninvasive angiography using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging may be an alternative.

    Before the Surgery

    • The surgeon needs to know if the patient is taking any drugs, supplements, or herbs before the procedure.
    • The patient may be able to store blood in the blood bank for transfusions during and after the surgery. The family members can also donate blood (autologous donation).
    • For the 2-week period before surgery, the patient should be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for the blood to clot. These might cause increased bleeding during the surgery. Some of these drugs are aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).
    • The day before the surgery, the patient should shower and shampoo well and wash the whole body below the neck with a special soap.
    • The patient may also be asked to take an antibiotic to guard against infection.
    • The patient should be informed which drugs he or she should still take on the day of the surgery.
    • The patient should stop smoking.

    On the Day of the Surgery

    • An intravenous (IV) line will be placed into a blood vessel in the patient’s arm or chest to give fluids and medicines.
    • The patient should be asked not to drink or eat anything after midnight the night before surgery. This includes chewing gum and using breath mints. The patient can rinse mouth with water if it feels dry without swallowing.
    • Make sure that the patient is taking the drugs that he or she needs to take with a small sip of water.
    • Hair near the incision site may be shaved immediately before the surgery.
    • The patient should be informed when to arrive to hospital on the day of the surgery.

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 Pieri M, Belletti A, Monaco F, Pisano A, Musu M, Dalessandro V; et al. (2016). “Outcome of cardiac surgery in patients with low preoperative ejection fraction”. BMC Anesthesiol. 16 (1): 97. doi:10.1186/s12871-016-0271-5. PMC 5069974. PMID 27760527.
    2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bonow RO, Carabello BA, Chatterjee K, de Leon AC, Faxon DP, Freed MD; et al. (2008). “2008 Focused update incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 1998 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease): endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons”. Circulation. 118 (15): e523–661. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.190748. PMID 18820172.
    3. Kvidal P, Bergström R, Hörte LG, Ståhle E (2000). “Observed and relative survival after aortic valve replacement”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 35 (3): 747–56. PMID 10716479.

    Template:WH Template:WS CME Category::Cardiology

    Procedure

    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2], Claudia P. Hochberg, M.D. [3], Abdul-Rahman Arabi, M.D. [4], Keri Shafer, M.D. [5], Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [6]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [7] Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [8]

    Overview

    The procedure can be done either by the traditional open heart surgery or by the minimally invasive surgery. Before the surgery, the patient will receive general anesthesia. This will make the patient asleep and pain-free during the entire procedure. Other than the aortic valve replacement surgery; aortic stenosis could be treated by percutaneous aortic balloon valvotomy or transcatheter aortic valve implantation.[1][2][3]

    Aortic Valve Replacement Procedure

    If the procedure is indicated; it could be done by one of the following approaches:[4][5][1]

    • The Traditional Open Heart Surgery:
    • The surgeon will make a 10-inch long cut in the middle of the chest (sternum).
    • Next, the surgeon will separate the breastbone (sternum) to be able to see the heart.
    • Most people are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine or bypass pump. The heart is stopped while the patient is connected to this machine. This machine does the work of the heart while the heart is stopped.
    • A small cut is made in the left side of the heart so the surgeon can repair or replace the aortic valve.
    • In Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Surgery; there are several different ways to perform the procedure:[1]
    • The heart surgeon may make a 2-inch to 3-inch long cut in the right part of the patient’s chest near the sternum. Muscles in the area will be divided so the surgeon can reach the heart. A small cut is made in the left side of the heart so the surgeon can replace the aortic valve.
    • In Endoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes one to four small holes in the chest, then he or she uses special instruments and a camera to do the surgery.
    • For Robotically-Assisted Valve Surgery, the surgeon makes two to four tiny cuts (about a ½ to a ¾ inch) in the chest. The surgeon uses a special computer to control robotic arms during the surgery. The surgeon sees a three-dimensional view of the heart and mitral valve on the computer. This method is very precise.

    The patient may or may not need to be on a heart-lung machine for these types of surgery, but if not; the heart rate will be slowed by medicine or a mechanical device.

    Types of Valves

    Different types of valves can be used to repair a damaged aortic valve.[6][7][8][9][10]

    1. Mechanical valve, which is made of man-made (synthetic) materials, such as a metal like titanium. These valves last the longest, but the patient will need to take blood-thinning medicine, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin, for the rest of his or her life.

    2. Biological , which is made of human or animal tissue. These valves last 10 to 12 years, but the patient may not need to take blood thinners for life.

    The 2006 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) recommendations for the choice of aortic valve [6][11]:

    • If the patient is under 65 years of age and do not have a contraindication to anticoagulation then mechanical valve is preferred.
    • If the patient is ≥65 years of age who do not have risk factors for thromboembolism; Bioprosthetic valve will be reasonable.
    • If the patient has already a mechanical valve in the mitral or tricuspid position (need anticoagulation).
    • If the patient has active prosthetic valve endocarditis; the valve should be replaced.
    • If the patient has contraindications to anticoagulation therapy regardless his or her age; then a bioprosthetic valve is indicated.
    • In case of small oartic root; mechanical valve is indicated as there is a risk of annular enlargement in such patient if bioprosthetic valve is used.

    Once the new or repaired valve is working, the surgeon will:

    • Close the heart and take you off the heart-lung machine.
    • Place catheters (tubes) around the heart to drain fluids that build up.
    • Close the sternum with stainless steel wires. It will take about 6 weeks for the bone to heal. The wires will stay inside the body.

    The patient may have a temporary pacemaker connected to the heart until his or her natural heart rhythm returns.

    The surgeon may also perform coronary artery bypass surgery at the same time, if needed.

    Techniques

    Different techniques can be used for aortic valve surgery depending on various factors including age and other risk factors. The retrograde technique is the most commonly used technique.[5] Elderly patients with high risk can benefit from RDAVR i.e rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement technique also known as sutures technique. A new generation Edwards INTUITY-Elite® valve which is a balloon-expandable stented trileaflet bovine pericardial bioprosthesis is being used recently.[12]Some of the characteristics of retrograde technique include:

    • 8 French femoral sheath can usually accommodate a 20 mm balloon and minimizes vascular complications
    • Alternatively two 6 Fr sheath from bilateral femoral approach and two smaller balloons can be used
    • The letter may be necessary in female elderly patients with concomitant peripheral vascular disease
    • 0.035” straight wire is commonly used to cross the valve and advance via pig-tail or Amplatz catheter; Right heart catheterization is done and transaortic gradient is typically measured pre-procedure
    • The 0.035” wire is then exchanged for a stiffer 0.038”Amplatz exchange length wire with the tip shaped into a pig-tail shape so as not to injure the LV
    • The 20-23 mmX 6 cm balloon is advance over the wire and positioned to straddle the aortic valve
    • The balloon is manually inflated with a 60 cc syringe containing diluted contrast (slowly)
    • Meticulous control of balloon position must be maintained at all times by backward traction on the balloon to prevent jumping forward and injuring/perforating the LV apex

    The most preferable surgical closure method for this tenuous patient population is a perclose or angioseal closure. This particular closure method calls for a mandatory attention to the meticulous access technique. An antegrade approach may be a viable method in some patient populations. An example of such would be the venuous access with transseptal approach. This particular procedure can be done in a select population of patients. Many patients experience an adverse response to the hemodynamic effect of mitral valve incompetence. In this situation, the rigidity of the wire traveling across the mitral valve can directly result in mitral valve injury. It is, therefore, not an advisable treatment method for most populations.

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Grossi EA, Loulmet DF, Schwartz CF, Solomon B, Dellis SL, Culliford AT; et al. (2011). “Minimally invasive valve surgery with antegrade perfusion strategy is not associated with increased neurologic complications”. Ann Thorac Surg. 92 (4): 1346–9, discussion 1349-50. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2011.04.055. PMID 21958781.
    2. Bruschi G, Botta L, De Marco F, Colombo P, Nonini S, Klugmann S; et al. (2013). “Direct aortic transcatheter valve implantation via mini-thoracotomy using the Medtronic CoreValve”. Multimed Man Cardiothorac Surg. 2013: mmt015. doi:10.1093/mmcts/mmt015. PMID 24448561.
    3. Momin A, Sharabiani M, Mulholland J, Yarham G, Reeves B, Anderson J; et al. (2013). “Miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass: the Hammersmith technique”. J Cardiothorac Surg. 8: 143. doi:10.1186/1749-8090-8-143. PMC 3674973. PMID 23731623.
    4. Brown JW, Patel PM, Ivy Lin JH, Habib AS, Rodefeld MD, Turrentine MW (2016). “Ross Versus Non-Ross Aortic Valve Replacement in Children: A 22-Year Single Institution Comparison of Outcomes”. Ann Thorac Surg. 101 (5): 1804–10. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2015.12.076. PMID 27041455.
    5. 5.0 5.1 Chou WH, Wang YC, Huang HH, Cheng HL, Lin YS, Wang MJ; et al. (2014). “Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: Anesthetic experience of retrograde transfemoral approach with CoreValve ReValving System”. Acta Anaesthesiol Taiwan. 52 (1): 2–5. doi:10.1016/j.aat.2014.05.002. PMID 24999211.
    6. 6.0 6.1 Bonow RO, Carabello BA, Chatterjee K, de Leon AC, Faxon DP, Freed MD; et al. (2008). “2008 Focused update incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 1998 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease): endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons”. Circulation. 118 (15): e523–661. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.190748. PMID 18820172.
    7. Marei I, Chester A, Carubelli I, Prodromakis T, Trantidou T, Yacoub MH (2015). “Assessment of Parylene C Thin Films for Heart Valve Tissue Engineering”. Tissue Eng Part A. 21 (19–20): 2504–14. doi:10.1089/ten.TEA.2014.0607. PMC 4605359. PMID 26101808.
    8. Cooley DA (1977). “The quest for the perfect prosthetic heart valve”. Med Instrum. 11 (2): 82–4. PMID 870811.
    9. Bloomfield P, Wheatley DJ, Prescott RJ, Miller HC (1991). “Twelve-year comparison of a Bjork-Shiley mechanical heart valve with porcine bioprostheses”. N Engl J Med. 324 (9): 573–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM199102283240901. PMID 1992318.
    10. Hammermeister K, Sethi GK, Henderson WG, Grover FL, Oprian C, Rahimtoola SH (2000). “Outcomes 15 years after valve replacement with a mechanical versus a bioprosthetic valve: final report of the Veterans Affairs randomized trial”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 36 (4): 1152–8. PMID 11028464.
    11. Vahanian A, Baumgartner H, Bax J, Butchart E, Dion R, Filippatos G; et al. (2007). “Guidelines on the management of valvular heart disease: The Task Force on the Management of Valvular Heart Disease of the European Society of Cardiology”. Eur Heart J. 28 (2): 230–68. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehl428. PMID 17259184.
    12. Prakash Patil N, Falconieri F, Pepper J, Bahrami T (2016). “How to Do It – Implantation Technique for Newer-Generation Sutureless/Rapid-Deployment Aortic Valve Replacement”. J Heart Valve Dis. 25 (2): 227–229. PMID 27989072.

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    Recovery

    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [3]

    Overview

    The recovery of patient is divided into recovery at the hospital and recovery at home. Patient may spend 4 to 7 days in the hospital after surgery. Patient stays in ICU for one or two days. Recovery at home includes taking care for his or her healing incisions, recognizing signs of infection or other complications, coping with after-effects of surgery, followup appointments, medicines, and situations when he or she should call the doctor right away. Ongoing care after valve surgery may include periodic checkups with the doctor. During these visits, the patient may have blood tests, an EKG (electrocardiogram), echocardiography, or a stress test.[1]

    Recovery

    Recovery at Hospital

    The patient may spend 4 to 7 days in the hospital after surgery (much less in Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery 3 to 5 days). Then patient will wake up in the intensive care unit (ICU) and recover there for 1 or 2 days. Two to three tubes will be in the patient’s chest to drain fluid from around the heart. They are usually removed 1 to 3 days after surgery. Anticoagulation with aspirin is started to minimise risk of post operative clot formation, cerebral ischemic events, and it also improves survival.[1] The patient may have a catheter in the bladder to drain urine, and may also have intravenous lines to get fluids. Nurses will closely watch monitors that show information about the vital signs (pulse, temperature, and breathing).

    The patient will be moved to a regular hospital room from the ICU. The nurses and doctors will continue to monitor the heart and vital signs until the patient is stable enough to go home. The patient will receive pain medicine to control pain around the surgical incision site.A nurse should help the patient to slowly resume some activity, and the patient should begin a physical therapy program to make the heart and body stronger. A temporary pacemaker may be placed in the patient’s heart if the heart rate becomes too slow after surgery. The post operative recovery depends on the pre operative LVEF, showing an inverse relation.[2]

    Recovery at Home

    The patient should be informed about the following:

    • Taking care for his or her healing incisions.
    • Recognizing signs of infection or other complications.
    • Coping with after-effects of surgery.
    • Followup appointments, medicines, and situations when he or she should call the doctor right away.
    • When he or she can go back to daily routine, such as working, driving, and physical activity.

    After-effects of heart surgery are normal. They may include muscle pain, chest pain, or swelling. Other after-effects may include loss of appetite, problems sleeping, constipation, and mood swings and depression. After-effects usually go away over time.

    Less recovery time is needed for off-pump heart surgery and minimally invasive heart surgery.

    Ongoing Care

    Ongoing care after valve surgery may include periodic checkups with the doctor. During these visits, the patient may have blood tests, an EKG (electrocardiogram), echocardiography, or a stress test. These tests will show how the patient’s heart is working after the surgery.

    Routine tests should be done to make sure the patient is getting the right amount of the blood-thinning medicine in case of mechanical valve placement.

    The patient may be advised to change his or her lifestyle, this includes: quitting smoking, making changes to diet, being physically active, and reducing and managing stress.

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 Owais T, Rouman M, Breuer M, Hüter L, Fuchs J, Lauer B; et al. (2016). “Anticoagulation After Biological Aortic Valve Replacement: Is There An Optimal Regimen?”. J Heart Valve Dis. 25 (2): 139–144. PMID 27989055.
    2. Dauerman HL, Reardon MJ, Popma JJ, Little SH, Cavalcante JL, Adams DH; et al. (2016). “Early Recovery of Left Ventricular Systolic Function After CoreValve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement”. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 9 (6). doi:10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.115.003425. PMID 27296201.

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    Outcomes and Prognosis

    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [3]

    Overview

    Most valve surgery operations are successful. In some rare cases, a valve repair may fail and another operation may be needed. The risk of death or serious complications from isolated aortic valve replacement is typically quoted as being between 1-3% of cases, depending on the health and age of the patient, as well as the skill of the surgeon and the health care institute.[1]

    Surgical Outcome

    Most valve surgery operations are successful. In some rare cases, a valve repair may fail and another operation may be needed. The risk of death or serious complications from isolated aortic valve replacement is typically quoted as being between 1-3% of cases, depending on the health and age of the patient, as well as the skill of the surgeon and the health care institute. The patient’s past history of heart surgery affects the mortality rate as well. Patients with decreased (less than 40%) preoperative LVEF undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement showed an early LVEF recovery after surgery.[1]Patient with mechanical valve may hear a quiet clicking sound in his chest. This is just the sound of the new valve opening and closing, and a sign that the new valve is working.

    Mechanical Versus Biological Valves

    Mechanical heart valves do not fail often. They last from 12 to 20 years. However, blood clots develop on them. If a blood clot forms, the patient may have a stroke. Bleeding can occur, but this is rare. Biological valves tend to fail over time, [2][3] but they have a lower risk of blood clots. Patients with a biological valve may need to have the valve replaced in 10 to 15 years. Patients with a mechanical valve will need to take a blood-thinning medicine for the rest of their lives.

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 Dauerman HL, Reardon MJ, Popma JJ, Little SH, Cavalcante JL, Adams DH; et al. (2016). “Early Recovery of Left Ventricular Systolic Function After CoreValve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement”. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 9 (6). doi:10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.115.003425. PMID 27296201.
    2. Hammermeister KE, Sethi GK, Henderson WG, Oprian C, Kim T, Rahimtoola S (1993). “A comparison of outcomes in men 11 years after heart-valve replacement with a mechanical valve or bioprosthesis. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study on Valvular Heart Disease”. N Engl J Med. 328 (18): 1289–96. doi:10.1056/NEJM199305063281801. PMID 8469251.
    3. Hammermeister K, Sethi GK, Henderson WG, Grover FL, Oprian C, Rahimtoola SH (2000). “Outcomes 15 years after valve replacement with a mechanical versus a bioprosthetic valve: final report of the Veterans Affairs randomized trial”. J Am Coll Cardiol. 36 (4): 1152–8. PMID 11028464.

    Template:WH Template:WS CME Category::Cardiology

    Complications

    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Usama Talib, BSc, MD [3]

    Overview

    Complications of aortic stenosis surgery may include blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs, blood loss, breathing problems, infection, including in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, chest, or heart valve, reactions to medicines, nausea and vomiting, abnormal or painful scar formation , and allergic skin reactions.[1][2]

    Complications

    Risks of any Surgery

    Surgeries are usually associated with various complications ranging from mild to severe in nature. [1][2][3][4]

    • Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
    • Blood loss
    • Breathing problems
    • Infection, including in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, chest, or heart valves
    • Reactions to medicines
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Abnormal or painful scar formation
    • Allergic skin reaction

    Possible Risks from having Open-Heart Surgery

    There are many possible complications after an Open Heart Surgery. The postoperative risk factors can be related to various factors including albumin, TLC and BMI.[5] Some possible complications after a cardiac surgery are:[6][7][8][9]

    • Heart attack or stroke
    • Heart rhythm problems; such as atrial fibrillation
    • Infection in the cut, which is more likely to happen in people who are obese, have diabetes, or have already had this surgery
    • Memory loss and loss of mental clarity, or “fuzzy thinking”
    • Post-pericardiotomy syndrome, which is a low-grade fever and chest pain. This could last for up to 6 months.
    • Acute Renal Failure
    • Metabolic complications like hyperglycaemia, hypokalemia and increased free fatty acid concentration.

    Prosthetic Heart Valves are Associated with a Variety of Complications

    The complications associated with a Prosthetic heart valve placement include:[10][11][12][9]

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 Escobar MA, Caty MG (2016). “Complications in neonatal surgery”. Semin Pediatr Surg. 25 (6): 347–370. doi:10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2016.10.005. PMID 27989360.
    2. 2.0 2.1 Bechtel P, Boorse R, Rovito P, Harrison TD, Hong J (2013). “Warfarin users prone to coagulopathy in first 30 days after hospital discharge from gastric bypass”. Obes Surg. 23 (10): 1515–9. doi:10.1007/s11695-013-0972-5. PMID 23645479.
    3. Kumar AS, Alaparthi GK, Augustine AJ, Pazhyaottayil ZC, Ramakrishna A, Krishnakumar SK (2016). “Comparison of Flow and Volume Incentive Spirometry on Pulmonary Function and Exercise Tolerance in Open Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial”. J Clin Diagn Res. 10 (1): KC01–6. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2016/16164.7064. PMC 4740618. PMID 26894090.
    4. Kelkar KV (2015). “Post-operative pulmonary complications after non-cardiothoracic surgery”. Indian J Anaesth. 59 (9): 599–605. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.165857. PMC 4613407. PMID 26556919.
    5. Gonçalves LB, Jesus NM, Gonçalves MB, Dias LC, Deiró TC (2016). “Preoperative Nutritional Status and Clinical Complications in the Postoperative Period of Cardiac Surgeries”. Braz J Cardiovasc Surg. 31 (5): 371–380. doi:10.5935/1678-9741.20160077. PMC 5144568. PMID 27982346.
    6. Laizo A, Delgado FE, Rocha GM (2010). “Complications that increase the time of Hospitalization at ICU of patients submitted to cardiac surgery”. Rev Bras Cir Cardiovasc. 25 (2): 166–71. PMID 20802907.
    7. Taniguchi FP, Souza AR, Martins AS (2007). “Cardiopulmonary bypass time as a risk factor for acute renal failure”. Rev Bras Cir Cardiovasc. 22 (2): 201–5. PMID 17992325.
    8. Jakob SM, Stanga Z (2010). “Perioperative metabolic changes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery”. Nutrition. 26 (4): 349–53. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2009.07.014. PMID 20053534.
    9. 9.0 9.1 Cheng DC, Asokumar B, Nakagawa T (1993). “Amrinone therapy for severe pulmonary hypertension and biventricular failure after complicated valvular heart surgery”. Chest. 104 (5): 1618–20. PMID 8222841.
    10. Sánchez E, Corrales JA, Fantidis P, Tarhini IS, Khan I, Pineda T; et al. (2016). “Thrombocytopenia after Aortic Valve Replacement with Perceval S Sutureless Bioprosthesis”. J Heart Valve Dis. 25 (1): 75–81. PMID 27989089.
    11. Lunardi M, Pesarini G, Zivelonghi C, Piccoli A, Geremia G, Ariotti S; et al. (2016). “Clinical outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: from learning curve to proficiency”. Open Heart. 3 (2): e000420. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2016-000420. PMC 5013502. PMID 27621826.
    12. Zhao Y, Cui GM, Zhou NN, Li C, Zhang Q, Sun H; et al. (2016). “Calpain-Calcineurin-Nuclear Factor Signaling and the Development of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Valvular Heart Disease and Diabetes”. J Diabetes Res. 2016: 4639654. doi:10.1155/2016/4639654. PMC 4830711. PMID 27123462.

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    Videos

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    Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [2]; Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S. [3]

    Videos

    Dr. Lars Svensson, Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Director of the Aorta Center, at the Cleveland Clinic describes heart surgery for bicuspid aortic valve {{#ev:youtube|nfzrZJzDTjo}}

    References

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