Autologous pericardial reinforcement after detachment of the coronary buttons of the proximal anastomosis in the Bentall procedure.

The present report describes a simple modification to the reinforcement technique by Copeland et al. using autologous pericardium for the Bentall procedure. Our modified technique may decrease the probability of leaks at the aortic root. Further, this technique preserves the advantages of the Valsalva graft, including tension-free coronary anastomosis and anatomical adaptability.