Objective: Although mechanical prosthetic heart valves are most commonly used for aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation due to noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease, postoperative perivalvular leakage and/or detachment of the prosthetic valve occurs due to the fragility of the aortic annulus. Aortic root replacement with cryopreserved homografts is reported to be useful in such patients.
Methods: Three patients having aortic regurgitation associated with severe long standing noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease-2 patients with Takayasu's arteritis and 1 patient with Behçet disease--had the aortic root replacement by a cryopreserved aortic homograft valve and conduit.
Results: All surgery was successful and the postoperative course uneventful. Echocardiography showed neither aortic regurgitation nor graft detachment at 6-39 months after operation.
Conclusions: Homograft valve and conduit replacement is appropriate in patients with aortic regurgitation associated with noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease, with mid-term results favorable.