University of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Surgery: Aortic Valve-Sparing Surgery

Aortic Valve-Sparing Surgery

The aortic root is the section of the aorta that is connected to the heart. It includes the aortic valve. An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of the aorta. If an aortic root aneurysm enlarges, the aortic root must be replaced with a graft. This prevents life-threatening aortic rupture or dissection.

Traditional surgery for aortic root aneurysms has involved replacing the aortic valve with a mechanical valve. If possible, however, it is always preferable to preserve the natural valve rather than replacing it.

A new advanced surgical procedure allows surgeons to replace the diseased part of the aortic root, and still preserve the patient’s native aortic valve. This operation, called the reimplantation technique, or David procedure, was originally described by Tirone David, MD, the chief of cardiac surgery at the University of Toronto.

UW Health is now proud to offer this procedure. The reimplantation technique is performed by cardiothoracic surgeon Nilto DeOliveira, MD, who completed an advanced fellowship with Dr. David and authored a paper reporting the group’s experience.

Dr. DeOliveira’s special interest in aortic valve-sparing surgery greatly broadens the spectrum of care for patients with aortic root aneurysms.