[HSF] Calcified aortic stenosis

[Hgrmd at aol.com]

Tomas,
  Quite frankly, if you are able to cannulate centrally and  crossclamp, I'm 
not sure that qualifies as a true "porcelain" aorta.   Difficult-yes, 
porcelain-no.  An aorta with dense circumferential calcium  has to be handled with 
peripheral cannulation and construction of the distal  anastamosis with an open 
technique.  The other increasingly attractive  alternative is aortic valve 
bypass.
 
Hal



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