[The effect of aortic valve translocation and a few problems].

Aortic valve endocarditis is frequently associated with an aortic root abscess, so that it is difficult to insert a prosthetic valve. Between April, 1983 and June, 1988 we treated four out of seven patients with aortic valve endocarditis by translocation of the aortic valve, closure of the native coronary ostia, and placement of saphenous vein grafts on the coronary arteries. In each case, the operation was undertaken because of rapidly progressing heart failure. Infection was due to alpha-Streptococcus in two instances, to Staphylococcus epidermidis and fungus in the other cases. In one of the four patients, the prosthetic aortic valve was sutured to the ascending aorta and two saphenous vein grafts were placed on the proximal coronary arteries. In the other three patients, the composite Woven Dacron graft was used to replace the ascending aorta and two saphenous vein grafts were placed on the distal coronary arteries. One patient died one year postoperatively of LOS because of rapidly progressing coronary grafts ostial stenosis. The other three patients survived and doing well with satisfactory hemodynamic function and no infection. Translocation of the aortic valve for infective aortic valve endocarditis is a useful operative technique when conventional aortic valve replacement technique cannot be utilize.