Aortic Homografts for Native and Prosthetic Aortic Valve and Root Endocarditis: Results From the EUropean REgistry of Cryopreserved Aortic Homografts EURECAH

In this article, the authors report early and long-term outcomes of cryopreserved aortic homografts for complex native and prosthetic aortic valve or root infective endocarditis in the EUropean REgistry of Cryopreserved Aortic Homografts (EURECAH). Across five European centers, 544 patients underwent aortic valve or root replacement between 2000 and 2025, mostly for prosthetic valve endocarditis, frequently complicated by annular abscess or mitro-aortic discontinuity. Survival was 87.9 percent at 30 days, 67.1 percent at five years, and 52.8 percent at 10 years. Recurrent endocarditis occurred in 5 percent, and 14 percent required reintervention. The authors conclude that aortic homografts are a safe and durable option for extensive aortic endocarditis.