External aortic root support for the Marfan aorta: Anatomically normal coronary orifices imaged seven years after surgery

The occurrence of angina necessitated investigation of a patient seven years after an operation to protect his dilated Marfan aorta. The customized support, manufactured by a process of computer-aided design, had been fitted in May 2004 when the aortic root measured 49 mm. The magnetic resonance imaging appearances of the aorta remained unchanged over a postoperative period of 7 years and he remained completely well until he began to experience exercise-related angina in 2011. Coronary angiography showed the cause of angina to be an atherosclerotic left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis which was successfully stented. Aortography and coronary angiography performed at that time showed widely patent coronary orifices with no sign of impingement of the external support on the smooth lumen of his coronary arteries. The soft pliant nature of the textile from which the support was made, its intimate fit to the aorta and porous nature allowing incorporation into the aortic adventitia were deliberately built into the design. Nevertheless it was affirming to see these features realized on imaging seven years later. The patient is again completely well and angina free. He is one of a consecutive series of 30 patients who have had this device. There have been no device-related events in over 100 patient/years of follow-up, and all the patients remain alive and well. © 2012 The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.