The evaluation of annuloplasty in bicuspid aortic valve repair using cardiac magnetic resonance
Abstract Background: The incompetent bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) can be replaced or repaired using various surgical techniques. This study sought to assess the efficacy of external annuloplasty and postoperative reverse remodeling using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and compare the mid-term results of external and subcommissural annuloplasty. Methods: Out of a total of 200 BAV repair performed between 2004 and 2018, 21 consecutive patients (median age 54 years) with regurgitation requiring valve repair with annuloplasty without concomitant aortic root surgery were prospectively referred for CMR and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) one year after the operation. Two aortic annulus stabilization techniques were used: external, circumferential annuloplasty (EA), and subcommissural annuloplasty (SCA). Results: 11 patients received EA and 10 patients were treated using SCA. There was no in-hospital mortality and all patients survived the follow-up period. CMR showed strong correlation between postoperative aortic recurrent regurgitant fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (r=0.62; p=0.003) as well as left ventricular ejection fraction (r=-0.53; p=0.01). Patients treated with EA as compared with SCA had larger anatomic aortic valve area measured by CMR (3.5cm2 (2.5; 4.0) vs. 2.5cm2 (2.0; 3.4); p=0.04). In both EA and SCA group, aortic valve area below 3.5cm2 correlated with no regurgitation recurrency. EA (vs. SCA) was associated with lower peak transvalvular aortic gradients (10mmHg (6; 17) vs. 21mmHg (15; 27); p=0.04). Conclusions: The repair of the bicuspid aortic valve provides significant mid-term postoperative reverse remodeling, provided no recurrent regurgitation and durable reduction annuloplasty can be achieved. External, circumferential annuloplasty is associated with better hemodynamics compared to subcommissural annuloplasty.