Unicuspid aortic valves are rare congenital malformations. Surgical repair is feasible in aortic regurgitation, and in some cases of aortic stenosis. The standard surgical approach is a bicuspidization and symmetrization with pericardial patch augmentation of valve cusps. Herein, we are describing our original technique for bicuspidization of a unicuspid aortic valve without cusp patch augmentation. We also address the surgical management of a commissural diastasis.

Aortic valve and root replacements require an in-depth understanding of the aortic root and annulus. Both structures can be asymmetric at times, and this needs to be recognized and taken into consideration when peforming valve-sparing operations or other root-replacement procedures. Moreover, the geometry of the aortic annulus can be altered, and when performing an aortic root replacement this can distort the geometry of a neo-aortic valve for instance, and lead to valve dysfunction, which is difficult to reverse. We are describing an altered aortic annulus, which required modification through annulus elevation before proceeding with aortic root replacement with a graft-reinforced pulmonary-autograft.