Aortic Root Surgery

Overview

Mayo Clinic surgeons are among the most experienced in the country in performing aortic root surgery to treat an enlarged aortic aneurysm occurring at the junction of the aorta and the heart (the aortic root). Surgeons at Mayo perform more than 100 aortic root reconstruction procedures each year.

Advances in imaging technology have increased awareness of aortic enlargement and have allowed doctors to more frequently intervene before the aneurysm tears or ruptures (which is lethal). Preventive aortic root surgery, along with advancements in techniques and materials, has greatly improved life expectancy for patients who have aortic aneurysms.

Aortic Root Surgery Procedures

Two types of aortic root surgery are performed at Mayo Clinic. In aortic root replacement surgery, the aortic valve and the affected segment of the aorta are replaced with either synthetic or biological components. In the valve-sparing procedure, the damaged portion of the aorta is removed but the segment containing the valve remains attached to the heart. Learn more about types of aortic root surgery.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

About Aortic Root Surgery

Normal aorta

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The aortic root is the segment of the aorta where it emerges from the heart's left ventricle. It includes the aortic valve, the annulus (fibrous band that supports it) and the sinuses of Valsalva (pouches behind the valve leaflets).

Enlargement or dissection of the aortic root is often associated with Marfan syndrome, other rare disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos type IV, or familial thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) syndromes. It also is associated with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most common congenital heart anomaly, affecting 1 to 2 percent of the general population.