Replacement of calcified ascending aorta in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement

Aortic Valve Replacement and Repair With or Without Concomitant Ascending Aorta Replacement: Impact on Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Aortic valve surgery is a common procedure used to treat significant aortic valve stenosis or insufficiency. Some of these patients have coexisting pathology affecting the ascending aorta requiring ascending aorta replacement (AAR). Although the outcomes of these procedures are independently positive, it is proposed that concomitant AAR improves outcomes and minimizes the chances of future ascending aorta replacement. A comprehensive literature search for relevant studies published since 2010 comparing outcomes of aortic valve repair and replacement with or without concomitant ascending aorta replacement was undertaken using electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase Ovid, and SCOPUS. Major exclusion criteria were (1) conference posters, literature reviews, editorials; (2) aortic root surgery, aortic arch surgery, or other surgeries (3) case series with less than 5 participants. A total of 1189 patients from 6 retrospective cohort studies were included in the final review, from which clinical outcomes such as mortality and complications were compared. Mortality rates were similar in both intervention groups. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in reexploration rates due to bleeding, stroke, postoperative dialysis, and atrial fibrillation. Survival rates varied but had no significant difference between interventions. Both isolated aortic valve surgery and concomitant AAR procedures offer comparable favourable outcomes in terms of mortality, survival rates, and complication risks. However, the evidence is limited by the lack of randomized controlled trials. We recommend that future studies should standardize reporting on postoperative recovery, complications, long-term freedom from reoperations, and long-term changes to aorta dimensions.