Cor Vasa 2010, 52(10):589-593 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2010.151

Surgical aortic valve replacement in octogenarians. Our experience and mid-term results

Jakub Balušík^1,*, Marian Branny¹, Miroslav Hudec¹, Piotr Branny²

¹ Oddělení kardiologie, Kardiocentrum, Nemocnice Podlesí, a. s., Třinec

² Oddělení kardiochirurgie, Kardiocentrum, Nemocnice Podlesí, a. s., Třinec, Česká republika

Aim: To evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in elderly patients over the age of 80.

Methods: During the period from 2002 to 2008, there were 35 consecutive patients aged 80 years or older undergoing surgery for symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis at the Cardiocentre of Podlesí Hospital in Třinec.
They had aortic valve replacement (AVR) or comprehensive procedures including AVR and coronary artery bypass graft surgery or other procedures as necessary.
The following parameters were evaluated in our patients: mortality, incidence of stroke, periprocedural myocardial infarction, severe bleeding, functional class, pre- and postoperative aortic valve gradients, EuroSCORE, length of hospital stay, as well as preoperative characteristics of this group of patients followed up to obtain their outcome data.

Results: The 30-day mortality was 5.7%, long-term mortality was 46%. The mean time of survival was 54 months. The one-, three-, and five-year cumulative survival rates were 82, 65 and 45%.
Major postoperative complications occurred in 65% of patients. The average length of hospital stay was 27 days.
The operation was technically successful in 97%. One patient required reoperation after one year because of severe aortic regurgitation.

Conclusions: Surgical aortic valve replacement is a safe method for a selected group of patients over 80. In common clinical practice, 80% of the patients are contraindicated to AVR. The postoperative outcome of octogenarians is characterized by numerous complications and long average length of hospital stay.

Keywords: Aortic valve stenosis; Octogenarians

Published: October 1, 2010  Show citation