Outcomes Post-Nick's Aortic Root Enlargement Technique: Single-Center Experience

Background Different techniques for aortic root enlargement (ARE) have been reported in the literature. Each technique comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. We report our outcomes of Nick's technique for ARE. Methods A single-center retrospective data analysis of 31 patients was performed. Patients were operated between May 2015 and November 2017 at Assuit University Heart Hospital, Assuit, Egypt. Results The median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 125 minutes (range: 90.0-160.0 minutes), with 90 minutes of cross-clamp (range: 60.0-110.0 minutes). Altogether 59% of the patients had mixed aortic valve diseases. Median intensive care unit and total hospital stay were 2 and 5 days, respectively. Patient-prosthesis mismatch was reported in one patient only (3.25%). Two patients died within 30 days. Median pressure gradient across the aortic valve was 20 mm Hg at 3 years of follow-up. Conclusion The benefits of Nick's technique for ARE can be demonstrated in populations with younger patients and complicated pathology. Further research is required in larger patient populations.