aortic valve replacement with fresh homograft: more than 2 years follow up

from may 1994 to december 1996 thirty patients received viable fresh aortic homografts. mean age was 55 years (13 to 70), male to female ratio was 2/1, 24 operations were elective whereas 6 were semiurgent. predominant lesions were aortic stenosis or regurgitation in lb patients, aortic valve endocarditis in 10, prosthetic valve dysfunction in 3, and aortic root pathology in one patient. from technical point of view, aortic root replacement was done in 6 patients, subcaronaiv in 23, and miniroot in one patient. there was no hospital mortality but one death occured due to congestive heart failure. actuarial freedom from endocarditis, reoperations, structural deterioration thromboembolism and other valve complications was ,'00% (during the follow up of 2 to 30 months). it is concluded that homograft valves or root replacement in selected patients offers low mortality and morbidity with a good life style. hemodynamic performance of aortic root replacement is superior than sitberanarv valve replacement.