Midterm outcomes after aortic valve neocuspidization with glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium

Abstract Objective We had previously reported the short-term results of the aortic valve neocuspidization (AVNeo) procedure. We have now evaluated the midterm results with the longest follow-up of 118 months. Methods From April 2007 through December 2015, 850 patients were treated with AVNeo using autologous pericardium. Medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. The procedure was on the basis of independent tricuspid replacement using autologous pericardium. The distances between the commissures were measured with an original sizing device, the pericardial cusp was trimmed using an original template, and then sutured to the annulus. Results There were 534 patients with aortic stenosis, 254 with aortic regurgitation, 61 with aortic stenoregurgitation, 19 with infective endocarditis, and 5 with a previous aortic valve procedure. Besides 596 patients with tricuspid aortic valve, 224 patients had bicuspid valve, 28 had unicuspid valve, and 2 had quadricuspid valve. There were 444 male and 406 female patients. The median age was 71 (range, 13-90) years old. Preoperative echocardiography revealed a peak pressure gradient average of 68.9 ± 36.3 mm Hg with aortic stenosis. Surgical annular diameter was 20.9 ± 3.3 mm. There was no conversion to a prosthetic valve replacement. There were 16 in-hospital mortalities. Postoperative echocardiography revealed a peak pressure gradient average of 19.5 ± 10.3 mm Hg 1 week after surgery and 15.2 ± 6.3 mm Hg 8 years after surgery. Fifteen patients needed reoperation (13 infective endocarditis, 1 break of thread, and 1 tear of cusp case). The mean follow-up period was 53.7 ± 28.2 months. Actuarial freedom from death, cumulative incidence of reoperation, and that of recurrent moderate aortic regurgitation or greater was 85.9%, 4.2%, and 7.3%, respectively, with the longest follow-up of 118 months. Conclusions The midterm outcomes of AVNeo using autologous pericardium were satisfactory in 850 patients with various aortic valve diseases. However, further randomized, multicenter prospective studies are needed to confirm the results of the current study.