What Is the Bentall Procedure?
When the aortic root — the portion of the aorta that connects directly to the heart and supports the aortic valve — becomes enlarged or weakened, it often affects the valve as well. The Bentall procedure addresses both problems at once: the diseased root and valve are removed and replaced with a combined graft (either a mechanical valve or a biological one attached to a tube graft), and the two coronary arteries are reimplanted directly into the new graft.
Who Needs This Surgery?
- An aortic root aneurysm large enough to carry a meaningful risk of rupture or dissection
- Aortic dissection involving the root and valve together
- Connective tissue conditions, such as Marfan syndrome, that weaken the aortic root over time
- Combined aortic valve disease and root enlargement discovered on imaging
How Is It Diagnosed and Planned?
A CT angiogram or echocardiogram typically confirms the size of the aortic root and the condition of the valve. Surgical planning involves a detailed review of the aorta's full length, since some patients need more extensive repair beyond the root itself.
What Does Recovery Involve?
- A hospital stay of about a week, with initial recovery in intensive care
- Gradual return to daily activities over several weeks, with full recovery often taking a few months
- Regular follow-up imaging to monitor the graft and the rest of the aorta over time
- Lifelong blood thinners if a mechanical valve was used
Everything in One Place
From diagnostic imaging to the surgery itself, intensive care, and long-term follow-up, Hospital CMQ's cardiovascular surgery team manages the complete Bentall procedure pathway without referring patients to outside facilities.
If imaging has shown an aortic root aneurysm, ask our cardiovascular surgery team about your options.
References
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons — Aortic root surgery
- Mayo Clinic — Aortic aneurysm treatment
- American Heart Association — Aortic root replacement
