In the period of January 1980 to December 1988, 44 patients with chronic aortic dissections and aortic insufficiency were operated on. This group of patients was analized in order to evaluate the evolution of those in which the aortic valve was preserved compared to the group of patients submitted to valvular replacement. The overall preoperative characteristics of these two groups were similar. Valvular replacement was the elected procedure in cases of valvular degeneration or of aortic annular ectasia. In cases of cusp prolapse with enlarged annulus a plastic procedure was used; in 48% of the cases it was possible to preserve the valve. In the 23 patients submitted to valve replacement, the Bentall and De Bono technique was utilized. In six patientes other surgical procedures were associated. Biological adhesives were utilized in every patient operated on from 1986 on. In 41 patients (93%) the proximal aorta was substituted and in the remaining three an aortoplasty was performed. Five patients (11%) had hospitalar deaths, three due to low-output syndrome, one due to bleeding and one on account of neurological complications. Late death occurred in two patients (4%). The follow-up of the 37 surviving patients varied from two to 108 months (mean: 18 months); of these, 78% were in fuctional class I, and the others in class II. Two patients that had their aortic valve preserved presented mild aortic insufficiency. Three patients with bioprosthesis were reoperated on due to dysfunction. One patient submitted to aortoplasdty and an aortic valve plastic procedure presenting redissection and aortic insufficiency after 60 months, was reoperated on using the Bentall technique. In the actuarial curve analysis, patients submitted to valvuloplasty procedures had longer survival rates than the valve replacement patients. It is possible to conclude that: 1) valvular resuspension is a satisfactory technique in patients with chronic dissection of the aorta, with low mortality and less complications than valvular replacement; 2) identification of the mechanism producing the valvular insufficiency is fundamental for the choice of the surgical procedure; 3) the use of biological adhesives render easy the handling of the aorta and lessen the intraoperative bleeding; 4) when valvular replacement is indicated, mechanical prostheses are preferred, since reoperations are more difficult in these patients; 5) aortoplasties are avoided due to the high incidence of aortic redissection.
aortic dissection; heart valves, aortic