A valve sparing aortic root replacement is a procedure used to treat aortic root aneurysms. Often called the David Procedure, after the surgeon who pioneered the technique, valve sparing root replacement saves the patient’s native aortic valve while repairing the aneurysm. Saving the native aortic valve may prevent future interventions. Kenan Yount, MD, discusses the procedure and why UVA’s Aortic Center is at the forefront for treatment of aortic aneurysms.
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Transcript
Aneurysms can form on the ascending aorta in various places. And when they form close
to the heart, right above aortic valve, it's at a part of the aorta that we call the aortic root. And that is certainly a higher risk real estate area, in that both the coronary arteries and the aortic valve are right there and often involved in the aneurysm.
To the extent we can preserve the patient's own coronary arteries, and to the extent we can preserve the patient's own functioning aortic valve, we try to make every effort possible to do that.
A valve sparing root sometimes is known as a David Procedure, and that's a reference to the surgeon who pioneered the technique of valve sparing root replacement. He developed that technique over the past 20 to 30 years, and it's the technique most widely used today.
If we can save the patient's own native aortic valve tissue, then it may prevent them from needing future aortic valve interventions.
A valve sparing root replacement can take anywhere from four to six hours. Recovery is in the hospital, anywhere from five to seven days. Once discharged from the hospital, frequently we encourage no heavy lifting or driving for about six weeks. And then at the six-week mark, we press hard with cardiac rehab.
Valve sparing root replacement is one of the less commonly performed cardiac surgeries. It usually requires a surgeon with a good deal of familiarity with the aorta, and particularly the aortic root. And so we try to encourage valve sparing root replacements be done at a high-volume center, of which UVA is one both regionally and nationally.
