Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2006;14:210-212
© 2006 Asia Publishing EXchange Ltd
Clinical Characteristics of Bicuspid Aortic Valves in Surgical Patients
Toshihiko Ichihara, MD,
Genyo Fujii, MD,
Michio Sasaki, MD,
Osamu Kawaguchi, PhD1,
Yuichi Ueda, PhD2
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tosei General Hospital
1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Aichi Medical School
2 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
For reprint information contact: Toshihiko Ichihara, MD Tel: 81 561 825 101 Fax: 81 561 829 139 Email:hniinami{at}med.juntendo.ac.jp, 160 Nishioiwake-cho, Seto, Aichi 489-8642, Japan.
Of 413 patients undergoing surgery for aortic valve disease, 42 were confirmed to have congenital bicuspid aortic valve. There were 24 males and 18 females, with a mean age of 54.9 ± 14.6 years. The etiology of the surgical indications in patients with bicuspid valves were degeneration, rheumatic disease, and infectious endocarditis. Thirty-two patients had aortic stenosis and 10 had aortic regurgitation. Infective endocarditis was seen mainly in patients 
50 years of age at the time of surgery, while degenerative aortic stenosis occurred more often in older patients. The annular diameter measured during surgery was significantly narrower in the 42 patients with bicuspid valves compared to 371 patients with tricuspid valves who underwent aortic valve replacement during the same period. It is important to prevent infectious endocarditis in younger patients diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve, whereas careful attention should be paid to decalcification during surgery in older patients because the vast majority suffer from degenerative aortic stenosis.
Copyright © 2006 by the Asia Publishing EXchange Ltd.
