Aortic valve repair for aortic insufficiency in adults: a contemporary review and comparison with replacement techniques.

In evaluating the goal of aortic valve preservation, there have been 11 reports of large series of aortic valve repair for aortic insufficiency in adults published in recent years. We sought to analyze the validity of these methods and compare them to published results for bioprosthetic valves, pulmonary autografts, and aortic homografts. From 1990 to 2002, 761 adult aortic valve repairs were reported. Perioperative morbidity ranged from 3.6 to 23% (mean 14%), early mortality 0-8% (mean 3.6%), and late mortality 0-8% (mean 2.8%). The 5- and 10-year freedom from reoperation rates for repair were 89 and 64%. Although early results are good, long-term analysis suggests that, as a group, the durability of repair is unclear. Patients with rheumatic valvular disease appear to have an increased incidence of recurrence and repair failure. Although suture line dehiscence continues to be both an early and late complication with repair, the long-term morbidity and mortality is low and valve repair may be an option in carefully selected patients. However, the inability to break down the results by techniques does not allow for a definitive conclusion. Further subanalysis is necessary as larger series are reported. Proponents must attempt to separate successful from unsuccessful techniques. Aortic valve repair is a technique in evolution.