Aortic homografts: Should we really lose the opportunity?

We thank Crestanello1 for the precise analysis of our report. As rightfully stated, the results published on the long-term follow-up of cryopreserved allograft (CA) for aortic valve replacement drop a veil of uncertainty on the durability of allogenic tissue in the second  decade after implantation, considering the increased rate of reoperation for structural valve degeneration and its associated risk. We agree that the use of CA should be tailored to certain categories of patients and indeed in our study the main indication for allograft implantation was infective endocarditis (IE).
Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: Adult: Aorta Valve: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research