A technique for aortic valve replacement on the beating heart with continuous retrograde coronary sinus perfusion with warm oxygenated blood.

The protection of ventricular myocardium in aortic valve operations is always an issue because those hearts do not tolerate global ischemia well. A technique of aortic valve replacement is described involving continuous retrograde coronary sinus perfusion with warm oxygenated blood used in 34 patients to date without any complications. This technique maintains a beating heart throughout the procedure.