Successful Surgical Correction of Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis

Abstract

Stenotic lesions in the aortic valve region may be acquired or congenital, and may be valvular, subvalvular, or supravalvular in location. As more of these patients are offered the benefits of surgical correction, cases of supravalvular aortic stenosis are being reported with increasing frequency. At least seven previous cases have been corrected successfully and another is reported. The diagnosis of supravalvular aortic stenosis usually cannot be made on clinical grounds alone. Definitive diagnostic technics are available, however, and allowed accurate delineation of the lesion in the case reported. Surgical correction consists of enlarging the aortic lumen in the area of supravalvular constriction. This usually is possible by longitudinal aortotomy through the area of constriction followed by patch angioplasty, as employed in this case in conjunction with modified endarterectomy. In most instances of supravalvular aortic stenosis, the valve itself is perfectly normal, and total correction is possible if the correct diagnosis is made.