Successful Dilatation of the Small Aortic Root for Implantation of a Larger Valve Prosthesis Claus Bartels MD, Hans-Hinrich Sievers MD Optimal hemodynamic performance is of paramount importance when implanting a prosthesis in a patient with a small aortic annulus. In order to avoid prosthesis size/patient body surface area mismatch, current techniques advocate aortic annulus patch enlargement or the use of a supra-annular prosthesis to ensure the implantation of an appropriately sized aortic valve. We present the first description of mechanical dilatation of a small aortic annulus as a simple alternative method.

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