Continuous suture technique in prosthetic aortic valve replacement.

Among 80 patients having aortic valve replacement using a continuous suture technique the occurrence of periprosthetic leak was 8.8%. There is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of the periprosthetic leak in patients having pure stenosis (o) of combined stenosis and insufficiency, and patients having pure insufficiency (26%). Continuous suture technique reduces cross clamp time and by-pass time significantly but should be used routinely only in stenotic lesions. In pure insufficiency the method of suture should be considered separately in each case. Interrupted suture technique should be used if one or more of the known factors predisposing to perivalvular leak are present.