Sténose aortique modérée et pontages aortocoronaires

The presence of mild to moderate aortic stenosis in a patients scheduled for coronary bypass surgery poses difficult problems with respect to the optimal therapeutic strategy. The first step is obviously to obtain a precise quantification of the degree of stenosis. Whenever possible, confrontation with previous echo examinations will provide an idea of the speed with which aortic stenosis progresses. The cardiologist, together with the cardiac surgeon, will have to carefully balance the operative risk and the risk of a second intervention. The patient's age will be central in the discussion, as it is a mjor determinant of life expectancy after the initial intervention.