Mid-Term Outcomes of Aortic Valve Repair Without Aortic Root Replacement: A Single-Center Experience

Background Aortic valve (AV) repair is a challenging procedure due to its complexity, lower reproducibility, and steep learning curve. To examine its durability and validity, we investigated mid-term outcomes following AV repair without aortic root replacement. Methods Between March 2007 and May 2018, we retrospectively identified 14 patients who underwent AV repair without aortic root replacement at our institution. We investigated their baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes, including the reoperation rate due to aortic regurgitation (AR) recurrence. Furthermore, we divided them into two groups: those who required reoperation due to AR recurrence (Group R) and those who did not require reoperation (Group F), and statistically compared them. Results The median age was 52.5 years (IQR: 42.0-60.8), with 11 male patients (78.6%). Eight patients (57.1%) had a bicuspid AV. Five cases (35.7%) underwent reoperation due to AR recurrence during a median follow-up period of 5.5 years. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between Group R (n=5, 35.7%) and Group F (n=9, 64.3%), including AR etiology, AV repair procedure, and intraoperative AR grade after the final declamp. All cases in Group R had at least mild to moderate AR on the echocardiogram before discharge. Regarding the AR grade before discharge, Group R had a significantly higher grade than Group F (p = 0.013). Conclusions The indication for AV repair for AR might need to be reassessed due to the considerable mid-term reoperation rate. Cases of AV repair with more than mild AR at discharge should be carefully monitored, as they are likely to require future reoperation for AR.