Aortic valve disease

Over the past year, CTSNet JANS editors have done an excellent job at gathering relevant and compelling news in cardiothoracic surgery, covering topics such as multiarterial versus single-arterial coronary surgery and transcatheter or surgical treatment of aortic valve stenosis.

This video demonstrates a single leaflet neocuspidization technique for a destroyed aortic valve leaflet due to infective endocarditis in a patient with adult congenital heart disease. This technique not only gives the advantage of maximal preservation of normal native tissue of the aortic valve complex but also avoids the use of a prosthetic valve and its related complications, particularly in females of childbearing age.

At the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Annual Scientific Meeting 2024, Tomas Holubec presented “Minimally Invasive Aortic Root and Aortic Arch Surgery.” In his presentation, he discussed the challenges and relationship between the aorta and sternum, and aortic valve and aortic root replacement.

For most surgeons, aortic annulus enlargement is considered too expensive to justify implanting a prosthesis that is only one size larger, and as a result, it is rarely used. This video demonstrates the surgical enlargement of the aortic annulus using a balloon catheter, which is a simple and innovative technique that combines the knowledge and experience of both TAVR and SAVR. This method allows for the implantation of a larger prosthesis without increasing surgical time or the risk of bleeding.