Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025
Full-root Aortic Valve Replacement by Stentless Aortic Xenografts in Patients with Small Aortic Roots
Published on: May 21, 2017
Freestyle aortic root prosthesis in combination with aortic replacement and open anastomosis: a retrospective
Alicja Zientara1, Kim Rosselet-Droux2, Hans Bruijnen3
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK. alicja_zientara@web.de.
Background:
The Freestyle® bioprosthesis is used for pathologies of the aortic root. Additional resection of the ascending aorta and the proximal arch in dissections or aneurysms might be indicated. The aim was to assess mid-term outcome regarding prosthetic performance, stroke, reoperations, and survival in various pathologies comparing patients with and without additional procedures on the ascending aorta and proximal arch focusing on the standardised technique of unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion under moderate hypothermia.
Methods:
Retrospective data analysis of 278 consecutive patients after Freestyle® root replacement between September 2007 and March 2017. Patients were divided in three categories due to the pathology of the aortic root (re-operation vs endocarditis vs dissection). Two groups based on the aortic anastomosis technique (open arch anastomosis (OA) versus non-open arch anastomosis (non-OA) were compared (119 OA vs 159 non-OA). Cardiovascular risk, previous cardiac events, intra- and postoperative data were evaluated. Inferential statistics were performed with Mann-Whitney U-test. Nominal and categorical variables were tested with Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test. Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to assess survival.
Results:
The follow-up rate was 90% (median follow-up: 39.5 months). There were differences in the indication (endocarditis: OA 5 (4.2%) vs non-OA 36 (24%), p < 0.0001; dissection: OA 13 (10.9%) vs non-OA 2 (1.3%); p = 0.0007). OA patients had less perioperative stroke (1 (1%) vs 15 (10%), p = 0.001) and shorter hospital stay (9 vs 12 days, p = 0.0004). There were no differences in the mortality (in-hospital: OA 8 (7%) vs non-OA 8 (5%); p = 0.6; death at follow-up: OA 5 (5%) vs non-OA 15 (11%); p = 0.1). Overall valve performance showed a well-functioning valve in 97.3% at follow-up.
Conclusion:
The valve performance showed excellent results regardless of the initial indication. The incidence of stroke was lower in patients receiving an open arch anastomosis using unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion without elevated mortality or prolonged hospital stay.
