LEGEND
Figure 1 – A, after being sutured distally (at the level of the
sino-tubular junction) and proximally (between the distal ascending
aorta and the proximal arch), the fresh autologous pericardium is
wrapped around the aorta. B, another suture is then passed parallel to
the previous one (white arrows and dashed lines), from the proximal to
the distal ascending aorta (fig. 1B). C, this suture is put in tension
to allow the pericardium to fit properly to the ascending aorta. D, the
final aspect is an ascending aorta with the same shape and size than
before surgery, but completely wrapped with fresh autologous
pericardium, that, at the follow up, becomes completely adherent to the
aorta (E).
Table 1 – Preoperative and perioperative data (n=10)
Age (y) 69±7
Female gender 2
Hypertension 7
Diabetes 0
COPD 0
Creatinine 1±0.2
Creatinine clearance (ml/min) 78±28
CRF moderate 7
Severe 1
Peripheral vascular disease 1
Previous CVA 0
Redo 0
NYHA Class I-II 7
III 3
ESII 3.5±1.7
EF (%) ≥50 6
35-49 4
AVR 1
AVR+CABG 5
CABG (off-pump) 4
ECC (min, n=6) 132±26
Xclamping (min, n=6) 88±19
Table 2 – Echocardiographic aortic measurements before surgery, at
intermediate and at last follow up.
baseline intermediate last p1 p2 p3 ANOVA
16±4 mos 53±14 mos
Valsalva sinuses (mm) 37.4±1.9 36.5±2.6 36.2±2.7 0.04 0.03 0.08 0.03
Sinotubular junction (mm) 38.5±2.3 37.7±3.0 37.7±2.9 0.07 0.07 0.34 0.07
Ascending aorta (mm) 45.2±2.0 42.7±4.2 42.5±4.1 0.04 0.03 0.33 0.03
Proximal arch (mm) 37.1±1.6 36.6±2.5 36.3±2.9 0.32 0.20 0.08 0.20
p1: baseline vs median 1: p2: baseline vs last; p3: median vs last
Legend: mos, months.