Continuous-suture technique in aortic valve replacement.

From April 2000 to April 2003 total 103 patients underwent aortic valve replacement and some concomitant cardiac procedures including mitral valve replacement in our hospital. According to the suture technique used in aortic valve replacement, the patients were divided into two groups: group A, 42 patients, the continuous suture technique with some modifications was used; group B, 61 patients, the conventional interrupted suture technique was used. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in age, sex, bodyweight, valve lesion, concomitant cardiac procedure and early mortality. But there were significant differences ([<0.001 approximately 0.012) in aortic cross-clamp time (AOCT) and cardiopulmonary bypass time (CPBT) between the two groups with less time for the group A patients. During a follow-up from 1 to 35 months, in group B, one patient developed perivalvular leak. The incidence of perivalvular leak was 1.7% (1/59). Three patients developed prosthetic bacterial endocarditis, the incidence of which was 5.0% (3/59). All the patients in group A recovered satisfactorily without suture technique or prosthesis associated complications. The modified technique was introduced and illustrated with diagrams, and the reasons for the advantages of the technique over the conventional interrupted suture technique were discussed.