How Refined Surgical Technical Solutions Can Make Bentall Operation a Low-Risk Procedure: 20-Year Personal Experience at the “Root” of the Aortic Diseases—It Is Time to Change Surgical Guidelines

Abstract

(1) Objective: Twenty years’ experience of Bentall–De Bono operations by one surgeon. (2) Methods: From January 2003 to September 2023, four-hundred-and-two patients aged 65.9 ± 15 years underwent a Bentall operation. The EuroScore-2 was 5.0% ± 3.8%. Associated procedures were performed on 113 patients (28.1%). Results: Operative mortality was 1.2% (n = 5), in particular 0.69% (n = 2/289) for isolated Bentall operation, 2.65% (n = 3/113) for combined procedures (p < 0.05). Postoperative acute heart failure occurred in 38 patients (9.45%). Preoperative pulmonary hypertension (44 ± 14 vs. 33 ± 7 mmHg), cardiopulmonary bypass time (169 ± 61 min. vs. 124 ± 42 min.) and aortic cross-clamp time (133 ± 45 min. vs. 107 ± 34 min.) have been recognized as independent predictors of mortality and cardiac complications (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In our experience, the Bentall operation was associated with low operative mortality and low rate of complications. For this reason, in agreement with the patients, we have modified surgical indication for ascending aortic aneurysms and now we think that it is time to change surgical guidelines.