Clinical Research Sutureless Aortic Valve Replacement: A Canadian Multicentre Study

Background: Sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR) has recently been introduced as an alternative to standard AVR in elderly high-risk surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to report the early Canadian experience with sutureless AVR. Methods: A Canadian multicenter study included 215 consecutive patients from 6 centres who underwent sutureless AVR using the Perceval S bioprosthesis (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy) between June 2011 and May 2013. Perioperative clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were assessed in all patients. Results: Mean age was 79 � 6 years, and 116 patients (54%) were women. Concomitant procedures included coronary artery bypass grafting in 86 patients (40%), multiple valve procedures in 24 (11%) patients, and septal myectomy in 9 (4%) patients. A full sternotomy was used in 173 cases (80%), a minithoracotomy in 23 (11%) cases,