Aortic valve neocuspidization for aortic regurgitation associated with ventricular septal defect

OBJECTIVES: Different methods of aortic valve repair have been described in the literature for aortic regurgitation (AR) associated with doubly committed subarterial ventricular septal defects. Our goal was to present our experience with aortic valve reconstruction of a single leaflet using the aortic valve neocuspidization technique in this subset of patients.

METHODS: It is a retrospective review of 7 patients with doubly committed subarterial ventricular septal defects with significant (>moderate) AR who underwent the single-leaflet neocuspidization technique of aortic valve reconstruction from January 2016 to January 2019. Data were collected from medical records. All patients had thorough 2-dimensional echocardiographic assessment preoperatively and during the follow-up period. Primary end points were freedom from postoperative AR and freedom from reoperation and all-cause mortality within the follow-up period with secondary end points of freedom from thromboembolism and infective endocarditis.

RESULTS: Out of 7 patients, 6 were male and 1 was female. There were no perioperative deaths. The mean follow-up period was 2.6 ± 0.8 years. No deaths occurred during the follow-up period. At the latest follow-up examination, only 2 patients showed mild AR and were asymptomatic. There was no documented event of infective endocarditis or thromboembolism during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS: The aortic leaflet neocuspidization procedure for the aortic valve is a relatively new concept. Availability of a template makes it an easily reproducible valve repair in paediatric patients with a single-leaflet abnormality. This technique preserves the remaining 2 normal leaflets, thus promoting the growth potential while maintaining near normal aortic root complex dynamics.