Resolution of Heyde's syndrome of aortic stenosis and gastrointestinal bleeding after aortic valve replacement.

The observation by Heyde that unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding may be associated with aortic stenosis has been confirmed by many others. It has been suggested that the combination of gastrointestinal bleeding and aortic stenosis be termed Heyde's syndrome. Gastrointestinal bleeding in this syndrome has been attributed to angiodysplasia. Segmental resection of those portions of the gastrointestinal tract containing the angiodysplastic lesions has been considered the definitive treatment for patients with Heyde's syndrome who are symptomatic because of chronic blood loss. However, recent observations suggest that aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis is a better therapeutic approach for those patients with severe aortic stenosis. This treatment has been shown to alleviate the symptomatology of both the stenosed aortic valve and the chronically bleeding bowel.