AORTIC HOMOGRAFT OBSTRUCTION

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 72  (4) , 553-561
Abstract
At the Mayo Clinic [Rochester, Minnesota, USA] from Sept. 1967-Nov. 1972, 128 patients underwent operations in which an aortic homograft was used to establish right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery continuity. Eighteen of these patients were studied who had calcified, obstructed aortic homografts. Seven patients had histories of significant dysrhythmias, all of which required medication and 2 of which were life threatening. Seventeen patients had systemic or suprasystemic pressure in the right ventricle before replacement of the calcified homografts. After replacement of the homograft with a Hancock prosthesis, the pressure in the right ventricle of 12 patients was 1/2 the systemic pressure or less. There were no operative deaths, and only 2 patients developed any significant postoperative problems.