The Bentall operation is a type of complicated open-heart surgery required to repair the aortic root and the aortic valve, such as may be required for an aortic aneurysm in this area of the aorta. This procedure is named after Hugh Bentall, who performed and documented it for the first time in 1968.
The big blood channel that carries the heart’s oxygenated blood is called the aorta. The aorta’s blood arteries deliver oxygenated blood throughout the body. The aortic valve, located at the point where the aorta joins the heart, serves to stop blood from re-entering the heart in the event of a disconnection.
The “root” of the aorta is referred to in medical terminology as the very beginning of the artery.
An aneurysm is a blood artery that inflates out and enlarges beyond its normal size, and it can occasionally form in the aortic root. When this occurs, it also affects the valve’s performance.
A hospital operating room is used for the procedure. The patient is moved or transported on a trolley into the operating room, where the attending physician instructs him to lie down on a slender table.
The Bentall technique is performed under general anesthesia, which means that the patient is given drugs before surgery to relax and put him or her to sleep.
Bentall Procedure Steps
The doctor takes the following steps during the procedure:
- Take out the damaged section of the aorta as well as the aortic valves.
- Take out the coronary arteries for a short time.
- Reattach the coronary arteries by making two holes in the graft.
- Set up a synthetic aortic transplant that already incorporates a valve.
It generally takes five hours to complete this procedure.
Bentall Procedure Complications
If a person’s medical condition is not stable enough for them to undergo a major cardiac operation. There are dangers associated with the Bentall technique, as there are with any open-heart surgery. It is a major intervention, and not everyone survives.
Some possible complications are as follows.
- Internal bleeding.
- irregular heartbeat.
- Weak cardiac output.
- A heart attack.
- Stroke.
- Infection (e.g., sepsis, pneumonia, or surgical wound infection).
- Kidney failure that occurs suddenly (which might be temporary or permanent).
- Need for prolonged mechanical ventilation.
- New aortic aneurysms.
Some of these complications are more likely to happen if the patient suffers from other health problems, like diabetes, or if their heart condition is already very bad. Improved surgical procedures have reduced the risks of some of these problems.
Bentall Procedure Life Expectancy
The majority of patients require a Bentall treatment due to significant aortic valve malfunction that requires aortic valve replacement; in these individuals, the aortic root is replaced if the ascending aorta measures more than 4 to 4.5 cm in diameter and the individual’s life expectancy is expected to be higher than 10 years.
After surgery, the patient must take a blood thinner medication. Blood clots are avoided by it. It is critical to take blood thinners exactly as prescribed by the doctor. The Bentall technique is a safe and long-lasting procedure with excellent early and long-term outcomes and a low reoperation rate. Some patients who undergo the Bentall treatment experience excellent results and never require additional operations. However, some individuals eventually require a second surgical procedure.
The patient must refrain from lifting anything that causes strain for at least six weeks after being discharged. In many cases, the upper back, shoulders, and chest of the patients hurt. There is frequent pain or swelling around the chest incision. Usually, within 4 to 6 weeks, these symptoms subside.
After four to six weeks, the patients can return to many of the activities they normally participate in. Initially, the patient frequently notices that he or she is easily exhausted and requires frequent rest. It takes about a month to two months to feel normal again.