Ten years experience of aortic root replacement using a modified bentall procedure with a carrel patch and inclusion technique

A Standardized Dissection Protocol to Generate Aortic Valvular Scaffolds from Porcine Hearts

OBJECTIVE

To describe a particular harvesting procedure for isolating intact porcine aortic heart valve roots as potential sources for biologic scaffolds.

METHODS

Fresh porcine hearts were brought to the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Targu Mures. The aortic roots were extracted from the porcine hearts by anatomical dissection. For this purpose, we used a basic surgical instrument kit. This initial phase was the first step in obtaining acellular extracellular matrix as a biologic scaffold material.

RESULTS

Aortic roots were isolated with preservation of the ascending aorta as well as the intact aortic sinus and coronaries together with the adjacent myocardial tissue and anterior leaflet of the mitral valve. This approach allowed for safe mounting of roots into mounting rings for perfusion decellularization.

CONCLUSIONS

The described procedure is a feasible protocol for obtaining intact biological valvular scaffolds from porcine hearts. Reduced requirements regarding tools and personnel underline the easiness of aortic root harvesting using this particular procedure.

A simple modified Bentall technique for surgical reconstruction of the aortic root - short and long term outcomes

Background

Since the first introduction of the Bentall technique, several modifications have been proposed to improve patient outcomes and decrease intra- and post-operative complications. We describe a simplified modification of the technique that tries to lessen the intra-operative time, improve homeostasis and miminize early and late complications. Our experience with the technique and short- and long-term patient outcomes are reported.

Methods

From August 1996 to October 2013, 110 consecutive patients underwent this modified technique. The procedure used Dacron composite graft with a mechanical valve (St. Jude Medical®) for aortic root replacement. To avoid intra-operative complications, no mobilization of coronary ostia was done. Additionally, the tubular aorta was kept minimally unchanged.

Results

Total bleeding after the operation was 450 ± 105 mL. The mean duration of intensive care unit and hospital stay were 2 ± 1 and 5 ± 2 days, respectively. Sixty-six patients (60 %) were discharged from the surgical intensive care unit on the first postoperative day, 34 patients (30.9 %) were discharged on the second day and ten patients (9.1 %) needed more time to stay in the intensive care unit due to haemodynamic or respiratory problems. At 5-years follow up, survival rate was 97 %. In the three deceased patients, causes of death were mediastinitis, sepsis and myocardial infarction. No operation-related complications such as anticoagulant-related hemorrhage, valve or graft thrombosis, or coronary pseudoaneurysm were occurred during follow-up.

Conclusions

The proposed modification of the Bentall technique seems to minimize late intra-operative blood loss, improves homeostasis, shortens the operation time and is associated with excellent long-term outcomes in patients undergoing composite graft replacement of the aortic root.