[Should asymptomatic aortic valve disease be treated surgically?]

Abstract

The problems posed by asymptomatic aortic valve disease with regards to surgery differ according to whether the lesion is aortic stenosis or regurgitation. In stenotic lesions, even severe, the risk of spontaneous evolution is very small when the subject is totally asymptomatic. However, the quality of the results of surgery in asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic patients and the increased difficulties in the very elderly are incentives not to differ surgery when the stenosis is severe, and especially when left ventricular function begins to degrade. In aortic regurgitation, the risk of progression is also low in asymptomatic patients but left ventricular dysfunction may develop before symptoms occur: this explains the necessity for regular clinical, echocardiographic and eventually radioisotopic examination of patients with severe aortic regurgitation. In dystrophic aortic regurgitation, an aneurysm of the sinuses of Valsalva and/or of the ascending aorta, or progressive fusiform dilatation of the ascending aorta are reasons for not postponing surgery for replacement of the aortic valve and the ascending aorta.