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Ann Thorac Surg 1999;68:1444
© 1999 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Correspondence

Replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic valve with a valved stentless composite graft

^a Division of Cardiac Surgery, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115 USA

e-mail: jgbyrne{at}bics.bwh.harvard.edu

To the Editor

We read with interest the "How to Do It" article by Urbanski [1]. The author indicates that he "has seen problems at the site of the suture line between xenograft and vascular prostheses when the aortic root is replaced with as stentless xenograft in a mini-root technique and the ascending aorta with vascular prosthesis."

However, we have used such a technique on five minimally invasive aortic root replacements that required combined replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta. We used Freestyle valves either in a full root or hemi-root technique, with a composite Hemashield tube graft interposed between the Freestyle valve and the distal ascending aorta. We have not had any problems using this technique and are curious what problems Dr Urbanski has encountered. We feel this technique is less complicated because it involves only two suture lines with running 4-0 Prolene. If there is concern for the strength of the tissue, which we have not encountered yet, then felt strips can easily be incorporated into the suture line.

References

1. Urbanski P.P. Replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic valve with a valved stentless composite graft. Ann Thorac Surg 1999;67:1501-1502.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): John G. Byrne Sary F. Aranki Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Byrne, J. G. Articles by Aranki, S. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Byrne, J. G. Articles by Aranki, S. F.