Clinical Outcome of Reoperation for Mechanical Prosthesis at Aortic Position

Aim Redo aortic valve surgery is usually associated with a high risk of mortality and complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the perioperative and long-term outcomes of reoperation after prior me-chanical prosthesis implantation at the aortic position. Method The clinical data of 146 consecutive patients who underwent reoperation at the aortic position between 2003 and 2019 were analysed. Results Mean age was 51.5 +/- 12.7 years and 69 (47.3%) were female. The median interval from prior surgery to redo aortic valve surgery was 6 years. The aetiologies were pannus formation with prosthetic aortic stenosis in 62 cases (42.5%), prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) in five (3.4%), PVE with perivalvular leakage (PVL) in 16 (11.0%), PVL in 45 (30.8%), thrombosis in seven (4.8%), and aortic disease in 11 (7.5%). As for surgical procedure, aortic valve replacement was performed in 81 cases (55.5%), Bentall in 34 (23.3%), PVL repair in six (4.1%), and pannus debridement in 25 (17.1%). Fourteen (14) (9.6%) patients expired perioperatively. Prolonged ventilation time and postoperative renal failure were proved to be significant independent predictors of mortality according to multivariate analysis. Overall survival was 87.8%+/- 7.4% and 76.4%+/- 15.1% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Survival was 87.7%+/- 13.7% and 84.2%+/- 15.6% in the pannus group, and 84.5%+/- 12.6% and 74.6%+/- 19.4% in the non-pannus group at 5 and 10 years, respectively (p=0.951). Survival was 87.5%+/- 14.2% and 75.8%+/- 22.7% in the PVL group and 84.7%+/- 11.9% and 81.6%+/- 13.5% in the non-PVL group at 5 and 10 years, respectively (p=0.365). Conclusions Pannus formation and PVL are two major indications for reoperation of mechanical prosthesis at the aortic position. Redo aortic valve surgery has a satisfactory outcome but with a high risk of complications. Long -term survival of patients seems not to be related to the aetiology. Final decision-making of redo aortic valve surgery should be based on aetiology.