Damage to the Right Coronary Artery as a Cause of Death After Aortic Valve Surgery

Abstract

During a 6-year period (1983–1988), 1 137 patients underwent surgery which included replacement of the aortic valve. There were 73 deaths within 30 days of surgery. A retro-spective analysis showed that in four cases the cause of death probably was related to intraoperative damage to the right coronary artery, which in three cases was accidentally obstructed by a suture and in the fourth case was found at autopsy to be occluded by an organized thrombus. None of the four patients died intraoperatively. Death occurred 2 hours to 20 days postoperatively from arrhythmia and/or pump failure caused by myocardial infarction.

Key Words:

• aortic valve replacement
• right coronary artery
• intraoperative damage