Repair of Aortic Leaflet Prolapse: The “Sliding Leaflet Technique”

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 79; no. 5; pp. 1787 - 1789
• Main Authors: Massetti, Massimo, Neri, Eugenio, Buklas, Dimitrios, Babatasi, Gerard, Le Page, Olivier, Gerard, Jean Louis, Khayat, André
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aorta - surgery; Aortic Valve Prolapse - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Valve Prolapse - surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiopulmonary Bypass - methods; Coronary Vessels - surgery; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Medical sciences; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the respiratory system; 35; Prolapsus; Corrective surgery; Treatment; Respiratory disease; Aorta; Thorax; Technique; Repair; Prolapse
• ISSN: 0003-4975; 1552-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2003.12.104

Valve-preserving aortic replacement has become an accepted therapeutic option for aortic dilatation with normal valve leaflets. The presence of a leaflet prolapse often induces the choice of a composite graft repair. In these cases, however, the repair of a leaflet prolapse is possible and represents a valuable alternative to a prosthetic valve. The conventional techniques of repair of a cusp prolapse are designed to restore coaptation through a reduction of free margin length. The sliding leaflet technique is an alternative procedure conceived to repair the prolapsed valve cusp by remodeling both the free margin and the annular insertion.