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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Full-root Aortic Valve Replacement by Stentless Aortic Xenografts in Patients with Small Aortic Roots
Published on: May 21, 2017
Aortic root replacement for destructive aortic valve endocarditis with left ventricular-aortic discontinuity.
Kenji Okada1, Hiroshi Tanaka, Hideki Takahashi
1Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan. yutamo@aol.com
Aortic root replacement effectively treats left ventricular-aortic discontinuity caused by endocarditis. Surgical intervention with autografts or xenografts shows excellent outcomes and no mortality in patients with this severe cardiac condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Infective Endocarditis
- Aortic Valve Disease
Background:
- Destructive aortic valve endocarditis can lead to left ventricular-aortic discontinuity.
- This condition presents a significant surgical challenge in cardiac reconstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the surgical outcomes of aortic root replacement in patients with left ventricular-aortic discontinuity.
- To evaluate the efficacy of different graft materials in this complex patient population.
Main Methods:
- Eight patients with left ventricular-aortic discontinuity underwent aortic root replacement.
- Procedures included radical abscess débridement and reconstruction using autologous/xenogenic pericardium.
- Aortic root replacement utilized pulmonary autografts (Ross procedure) or stentless aortic root xenografts.
Main Results:
- No in-hospital or follow-up mortality was observed.
- Five-year freedom from major adverse cardiac events was 67% in the patient cohort.
- Successful management of complex aortic root pathology was achieved.
Conclusions:
- Radical exclusion of aortic root abscess followed by replacement is crucial for excellent outcomes.
- Pulmonary autografts and flexible stentless aortic root xenografts are viable options for reconstruction.
- Aortic root replacement offers a safe and effective solution for left ventricular-aortic discontinuity.
Related Concept Videos
Aortic Regurgitation I: Introduction
Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management
Endocarditis III: Medical Management
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Endocarditis I: Introduction

