Ten-year follow up after autologous rectus abdominis fascia sheath patch repair of aortic root abscess.

The infection of aortic annular tissue is a life-threatening complication of aortic valve endocarditis, the survival of which is usually with immediate surgical intervention. Optimal surgical techniques include aortic valve replacement with an aortic or pulmonary homograft, and reconstruction of cardiac structures with autologous pericardium. Here, two cases are reported with extensive aortic root infection and partial left ventricular-aortic dehiscence, who underwent left ventricular outflow tract reconstruction using a rectus abdominis fascia patch and aortic valve replacement with a Carpentier-Edwards porcine bioprosthetic graft. Both patients did well perioperatively and for 10 years postoperatively. The results may encourage alternative surgical strategies to be used when aortic valve homografts or autologous pericardium are unavailable. Notably, autologous rectus fascia patches showed excellent performance in the reconstruction of left ventricular outflow tract destruction associated with aortic root abscess.