Surgical treatment for aortic regurgitation caused by Takayasu's arteritis

Aortic regurgitation (AR) caused by Takayasu's arteritis is relatively rare . We investigated the surgical results in patients with AR caused by Takaya su's arteritis. Between 1978 and December 1997, 65 patients (5 males, 60 fe males) with AR secondary to Takayasu's arteritis underwent surgery. The pat ients' ages ranged from 19 to 70 years (mean, 48 years). Takayasu's arterit is was diagnosed by clinical examination confirmed by intraoperative pathol ogical examination of the aortic wall. The surgical procedures for AR were aortic valve replacement in 45 patients, Bentall-type operation in 19, and remodeling in 1. Four (6.2%) patients died during the hospital stay. The fo llow-up period ranged from 3 to 227 months (mean, 111 months). Eleven patie nts died during the follow-up period, and the actuarial survival rate was 8 7% at 5 years and 75% at 10 years. The incidence of prosthetic valve detach ment was 4.6% (3/65). Three patients required a composite graft replacement . No prosthetic valve detachment was noted in 96% of the patients at 5 year s and in 94% at 10 years. Preoperative steroid administration to treat infl ammation and its postoperative use to control inflammation may be important in the treatment of these patients.