ENDARTERECTOMY OF THE ASCENDING AORTA - AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PATIENTS WITH EXTENSIVELY CALCIFIED (PORCELAIN) AORTA REQUIRING AORTIC-VALVE REPLACEMENT

A variety of surgical techniques have been described to manage the ext ensively calcified (porcelain) aortic root in patients requiring aorti c valve replacement. We report two cases in which endarterectomy of th e proximal ascending aorta was successfully performed, Endarterectomy of the left main coronary artery ostium was also performed in the one patient, and aortic root enlargement with patch aortoplasty in another , The technical aspects of the procedure and alternative approaches ar e discussed.