Commentary: Aortic allograft for endocarditis: Prevention of recurrent infection or reconstructive solution?

[摘要] Surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) of the aortic valve remains associated with high in-hospital mortality, which is estimated to be as high as 21%, according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) national database.1 Initial data for IE described outcomes of using aortic allografts,2-6 and many have enthusiastically endorsed their exclusive use in the setting of IE. Arguably, allogeneic biomaterial may be more resistant to recurrent infection than mechanical and xenograft implants. Lately however, this concept has been challenged by recent data suggesting that conventional prostheses—whether stented or stentless xenografts, or mechanical valves—may demonstrate similar long-term survival and freedom from recurrent IE, as compared with allograft implants.

[学科分类] 心脏病和心血管学