A novel device for technical standardization of valve-sparing aortic root reimplantation

Among valve-sparing aortic root replacement techniques developed for the treatment of aortic root aneurysms and aortic insufficiency, the reimplantation technique (the David procedure) has proved to provide excellent outcomes in experienced hands. However, it involves certain challenges in technical standardization, particularly for graft sizing, which is still far from standardization. A novel device was developed to facilitate and provide all the measurements in high precision and accuracy required for the David procedure. The device allows easy, rapid, and accurate acquisition of the patient"s data and appropriate configuration of the aortic valve, irrespective of the surgeon's subjective evaluations. This all-in-one device provides all the major parameters including graft size, effective height, graft preparation, and simulation of the aortic coaptation. The device was successfully tested on a Devotini aortic root simulator and on a bovine heart ex vivo. The device proposed herein to be used for reimplantation has one explicit advantage: all valve geometry to be reconstructed and repaired can be simulated on the device with all its elements, in particular, the commissures and the cusps. Thus, all that is necessary can be clearly visualized in a manner whatever the configuration the surgeon prefers, particularly the creation of the effective height.