Midterm Outcomes of Aortic Valve Repair Using an Anatomically Shaped Internal Annuloplasty Ring

This study addressed midterm outcomes with the hemispherical aortic annuloplasty reconstructive technology (HAART) ring used for aortic valve repair (AVr). Seventy-one patients had AVr using the HAART ring—53 had a trileaflet valve and 18 had a bicuspid valve. Their median age was 54 years old and 79 percent were male. Many patients needed concomitant interventions such as arch repair (77 percent) or a root procedure (46 percent). At a mean follow up time of 3.9 ± 1.1 years, freedom from reoperation was 96 percent. Eleven patients had moderate or higher aortic insufficiency (AI) during surveillance, and all of these patients had a trileaflet valve. Three patients suffered ring dehiscence. The authors recommend caution when using the subannular approach for stabilization in patients with trileaflet aortic valves.