EACTS Expert Consensus Document on aortic valve repair and valve-sparing aortic root replacement procedures.
Ruggero De Paulis, Giulio Folino, Alain Berrebi et al.
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In 30 seconds
This EACTS Expert Consensus Document critically reviews evidence on aortic valve repair and valve-sparing aortic root replacement for aortic regurgitation and proximal thoracic aortic aneurysms across age groups. It addresses mechanisms of disease, echocardiographic assessment and patient selection, intraoperative and prognostic evaluation, and surgical techniques. The document sets out shared surgical principles and consensus statements intended to support standardized clinical decision-making. It is a consensus statement informed by a critical evaluation of current evidence; where high-quality evidence is lacking, recommendations draw on multidisciplinary expert judgement. The abstract reports no quantitative outcome estimate.
Key findings
- The document reviews echocardiographic parameters for patient selection, intraoperative assessment, and prognostic evaluation.
- It outlines fundamental surgical principles shared across different aortic valve repair methods.
- Where high-quality evidence is unavailable, guidance relies on the multidisciplinary author team's experience and expert judgement.
Why it matters
Aortic valve repair involves varied disease mechanisms and surgical approaches, making coordinated assessment important. By bringing together evidence and expert consensus on imaging, selection, operative assessment, and technique, the document offers a framework for more consistent decision-making across paediatric and adult care. Its recommendations should be interpreted in light of the evidence gaps it acknowledges.
What to keep in mind
The document notes that high-quality evidence is unavailable for some areas, so guidance there relies on expert judgement.