A New Look at Structural Changes in the Aortic Root in Aortic Valve Stenosis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Anatomical Research
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Accurate anatomical knowledge of the aortic root is crucial for effective heart valve repair and replacement.
• Existing models may not fully capture the diverse structural characteristics of the aortic root.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel anatomical landmarks of the aortic root.
• To analyze relationships between aortic root structure dimensions.
• To enhance heart valve models and selection methods.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomography angiography (CTA) data from 262 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement were analyzed.
• Measurements included annulus fibrosus diameter, sinotubular junction, and sinus of Valsalva height.
• A classification system based on the ratio of sinus height to annulus diameter was developed.

Main Results:

• In tricuspid aortic valve patients, annulus fibrosus diameter typically ranged from 23-26 mm.
• No significant correlation was found between annulus fibrosus diameter and patient height or body surface area.
• Three aortic root structure types (A, B, C) were identified, with Type C predominating in 98% of cases.

Conclusions:

• A new classification system for aortic root structure variants has been proposed.
• This classification aids clinicians in treatment selection.
• It also assists researchers in understanding aortic root pathologies.