Stanford type A aortic dissection after urgent prosthetic valve replacement: case reports

Occurrence of acute aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement is rare, however, it is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. We report two Asian cases in which acute aortic dissection occurred after urgent aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis. Successful graft replacement was carried out with preservation of the prosthetic valves in both cases. Our experience with these cases suggests that, even in urgent or emergent situations, surgical intervention for associated aortic dilatation should be considered when aortic valve replacement is performed.