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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Published on: July 18, 2014
Homograft implant for prosthetic aortic endocarditis with paravalvular abscess in a patient with persistent left
Martina Rizzo1, Roberto Lorusso2, Giuseppe Davoli1
1Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Disease, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Santa Maria alle Scotte Hospital, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Abstract:
We present a case report detailing the surgical intervention in a patient with prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis complicated by a paravalvular abscess extending to the mitral-aortic fibrosa. Urgent surgery was required due to severe detachment of the prosthetic aortic valve, marking her third cardiac surgical procedure. Notably, preoperative imaging revealed the presence of a persistent left superior vena cava, a rare vascular anomaly requiring specialized cannulation techniques. The surgical approach involved removal of the infected tissue and prosthetic valve, followed by replacement with a cryopreserved aortic homograft, chosen for its anatomical adaptability.
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