[Clinical study of re-do surgery after Bentall-type operation].

Among patients who underwent reconstruction of the aortic root by Bentall-type procedure using a composite graft, we investigated patients who underwent reoperation for complications related to composite graft. We employed composite graft reconstruction of the aortic root in 155 patients for 16 years prior to December 1994. Annulo-aortic ectasia was observed in 112 patients, aortic dissection in 34, and aortitis without aneurysm formation in 9. The original Bentall procedure was performed in 36, the Cabrol method in 8, the interposition method in 26, and the Carrel patch method in 85 patients. Thirteen (8.4%) of these patients required reoperation for complications related to the composite graft. Three of 4 patients with graft infection early after surgery underwent reconstruction with composite graft, but died in the hospital. The remaining patient survived after combined treatment that included the graft washing with Iodine (Isozin) solution and omentopexy. Four patients developed pseudoaneurysm formation due to sutural insufficiency and 7 has prosthetic valve failure as late complications. Three of the 4 patients with pseudoaneurysm underwent reconstruction with a second composite graft by the interposition method, while one patient with aortitis required another reoperation. In the remaining one patient, the leak was directly close along with second aortic valve replacement. All prosthetic valves used in 7 patients with prosthetic valve failure were Ionescu-Shiley biological valves. Primary tissue failure was observed in 6 and prosthetic valve endocarditis in one patient. Second cardiac valve replacement using a mechanical valve was possible. All the patients who underwent late reoperation showed favorable results. Infection of the composite graft showed the poor prognosis, and prevention of infection is important. Sutural insufficiency at the anastomosed site can be prevented by appropriate surgical procedures such as reinforcing suture, but further countermeasures for sutural insufficiency were considered necessary for aortitis in conditions, such as Behcet's diseases.