Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001; 49(1): 54-56
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-9913
Case Report
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Pseudoaneurysm Complicating Homograft Aortic Valve Replacement - Two Different - Courses and Strategies

H. Gulbins, E. Kreuzer, A. Uhlig, H. Reichenspurner, B. Reichart
  • Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

The courses of two patients with pseudoaneurysm formation following aortic valve replacement using homografts are reported. Both patients had aortic valve replacement due to acute infective endocarditis with paravalvular abscess formation. The first case had an uneventful postoperative course; but on routine echocardiography, a pseudoaneurysm located at the left coronary commissure was found at one year follow-up. As the pseudoaneurysm was completely asymptomatic, the patient was followed up carefully at six months intervals. The second patient also had pseudoaneurysm formation postoperatively, but he presented one year after surgery with fever and elevated leucocyte count. He had surgical revision of the pseudoaneurysm because no other reason for an infection could be found. Four months later he presented again with infection signs and pseudoaneurysm formation. This time, the homograft was completely excised and another homograft was implanted. One year after the final operation, he is now free from re-infection. The two presented courses show that pseudoaneurysms complicating aortic valve replacement should be managed according to attendant circumstances and symptoms.

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Received for Publication: April 15, 2000

Helmut Gulbins, MD 

Department of Cardiac Surgery University Hospital Grosshadern LMU Munich

81366 München

Germany

Phone: +49-89-7095-6465

Fax: +49-89-7095-8873

Email: H.Gulbins@hch.med.uni-muenchen.de