Intramural hematoma of a cryopreserved aortic homograft.

Cryopreserved homografts are used in cases with prosthetic valve endocarditis since they present a higher resistance to infections than synthetic prostheses. Degeneration or endocarditis of the allograft aortic valve (AAV) has been described, but little data is available on allograft ascending aorta (AAA) disease. We describe the intraoperative finding and treatment of an extensive intramural hematoma of a cryopreserved homograft already affected by severe post-infective aortic regurgitation. Since this is a very rare occurrence, there is no general consensus on how best to handle this combined disease. The replacement of AAV and supra-coronary AAA with biological products may be performed with low risks in patient with a complex pathology of the cryopreserved allograft.