Aortic Valvuloplasty or Rootplasty for Aortic Regurgitation

At present, aortic valvuloplasty is considered an effective procedure for treatment of aortic regurgitation in pediatric patients. It has encouraging mid- and long-term results. The improved outcome is primarily related to better understanding of the functional anatomy of the normal valve and the different factors that alter it. It is also related to the realization that outcome after valvuloplasty is dependent on comprehensive repair of all of the involved components of the aortic root. Refinement in preoperative diagnosis has helped identify these abnormal components and focus the surgical approach on the needed reconstruction. Although the technical aspects of valvuloplasty are well defined, suboptimal long-term results still occur in some cases because the patch material used for valve repair can become fibrotic or calcified. This review summarizes the surgical approach to and the management of the different abnormal root components in pediatric patients with significant aortic valve regurgitation.