Aortic Root Surgery – What Types of Patients Require It?

Aortic root surgery is a procedure to treat an enlarged section, or aneurysm of the aorta. The aortic root is located near where the aorta and heart connects.

Cardiac surgeon performs aortic root surgery or aortic root replacement to prevent a burst aneurysm. They also do it to prevent the enlarged aorta from stretching the attached aortic valve.

TYPES OF PATIENTS REQUIRING AORTIC ROOT SURGERY

Patients with Marfan syndrome or bicuspid aortic valve, or familial thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection, because they are at a higher risk for rupture.
Patients with an aneurysm that grows more than half a centimeter (0.5 cm) in a year in an aorta that is less than 5.5 cm in diameter should be considered for aortic root surgery.
Patients with symptoms (usually chest or back pain) indicating expansion of a thoracic aneurysm should be suggested for surgical intervention.
Patients who develop acute aortic dissection commonly present with sudden onset of severe chest or back pain. (highly required)

AORTIC ROOT RECONSTRUCTION AND REPLACEMENT

Aortic Root Reconstruction – It is performed when there is aneurismal enlargement or dissection of the aortic root.

Ascending Aortic Root Replacement – It is performed for an aneurysm or dissection that is located exclusively in the ascending aorta.

Often aortic valve replacement or coronary artery bypass can be performed at the same time if needed. The aortic root is replaced with a composite valve graft - a mechanical or biological valve attached to a synthetic artificial tube.

A cardiac surgeon may perform aortic root surgery by removing a section of the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body, or aorta. If required they can also remove the aortic valve. Later surgeon will replace the section of the aorta with an artificial tube.

The medical aortic specialists evaluate people with aneurysms, which includes a thorough personal and family history, a detailed assessment would be done to find the cause of an aneurysm, and a full evaluation for additional aneurysms would be carried out along with.