Aortic annuloplasty with internal geometric ring; single-center midterm outcomes

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Cardiac Valve Repair
• Aortic Valve Disease

Background:

• Surgical aortic valve replacement is standard for severe aortic insufficiency, but complications and repair outcomes are concerns.
• Aortic valve repair, including annuloplasty and leaflet reconstruction, offers potential advantages.
• The safety and efficacy of the HAART internal annuloplasty ring require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the mid-term outcomes of the HAART internal annuloplasty ring in patients with aortic insufficiency.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of this valve-sparing approach.
• To compare outcomes with traditional aortic valve replacement.

Main Methods:

• A single-center study included 43 patients with trileaflet or bicuspid aortic insufficiency and aortic root/ascending aorta enlargement.
• Annular stabilization was performed using the internal ring implantation.
• Leaflet repair was conducted as needed.

Main Results:

• Mean follow-up was 2.7 years (max 6.3 years) in patients with a mean age of 54.2 years.
• Early postoperative results showed no more than mild aortic insufficiency.
• At mid-term follow-up, 2.3% mortality and 4.7% reoperation rates were observed, with mild insufficiency and stable aortic diameters in most patients.

Conclusions:

• Geometric ring annuloplasty using the HAART internal ring is a reproducible valve-sparing technique.
• Mid-term results demonstrate promising low mortality and freedom from reoperation.
• Long-term outcomes require further investigation to fully establish the durability of this repair.