Single leaflet reconstruction in paediatric aortic regurgitation using the Ozaki procedure.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES\nAortic valve repair in children is still a challenge. The aim of this study was to analyse the surgical results of children with aortic regurgitation who underwent single leaflet reconstruction using the Ozaki procedure in our medical centre.\n\n\nMETHODS\nA retrospective study was conducted of nine children with aortic regurgitation who received single leaflet reconstruction from May 2017 to September 2019. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare the data at different time points.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe median surgical age was 4.7 (3.5, 6.4) years. Eight patients were pre-operatively diagnosed with severe aortic regurgitation, while one had moderate regurgitation. The left ventricles were significantly enlarged, with an average z-score of 3.8. Single leaflet reconstruction was carried out using glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium under the standard Ozaki procedure. The median follow-up was 22 (14, 33) months. There was no post-operative death or re-intervention. One patient had moderate or more aortic regurgitation during the follow-up. The average degree of aortic regurgitation was mild, and the average z-score of the left ventricle decreased to -0.2 in the last follow-up.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nSingle leaflet reconstruction using the Ozaki procedure was an effective surgical method for treating children with aortic regurgitation in our centre with satisfactory short-term results.