HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Antunes, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Antunes, M. J.

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2005;28:855-856
© 2005 Elsevier Science NL

Editorial comment

The aortic valve: an everlasting mystery to surgeons

Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal

(Email: antunes.cct.huc@sapo.pt).

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

Despite its apparent simplicity, the anatomy, physiology and physiopathology of the aortic valve have persistently defied the comprehension of the surgeons. Literally, thousands of works have been published on these subjects and it does not cease to surprise us.

In this issue of the journal, Thubrikar et al. [1], from Charlotte, USA, describe an observational study on 14 patients with dilated aortic root and aortic regurgitation who were examined by transesophageal echocardiography. They measured the diameter of the annulus and of the sinotubular junction (STJ), the length of the free edge of the leaflets, and the height of the sinuses and of the leaflets, and compared these measurements with those obtained in silicone moulds of 19 normal human aortic valves. They found that the diameter of the annulus was equivalent and the sinotubular junction diameter was increased in dilated aortic roots, as compared to normal. Strikingly, the aortic sinuses appear to be higher and the leaflets larger than normal. Furthermore, the length of the free edge and the sinus height were all found to be increased in patients with dilated root. That is, their measurements "suggest that these anatomically normal leaflets were, however, not geometrically normal". Finally, they could not correlate the degree of regurgitation with any of the dimensions measured. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Piazza, P. de Jaegere, C. Schultz, A. E. Becker, P. W. Serruys, and R. H. Anderson Anatomy of the Aortic Valvar Complex and Its Implications for Transcatheter Implantation of the Aortic Valve Circ Cardiovasc Intervent, August 1, 2008; 1(1): 74 - 81. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. H. Anderson The surgical anatomy of the aortic root MMCTS, February 19, 2007; 2007(0219): 2527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. H. Anderson Editorial comment: Demystifying the anatomic arrangement of the aortic valve Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., June 1, 2006; 29(6): 1006 - 1007. [Full Text] [PDF]