Case report: Autopericardial aortic valve replacement and mitral homograft implantation in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Bekhterev's disease, or ankylosing spondylitis (AS), is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease closely related to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27. Cardiac damage in AS occurs in 2–10 % of patients more commonly as aortic insufficiency, aortitis, mitral valve fibrosis, or cardiac conduction abnormalities. CASE PRESENTATION: In this article we present a clinical case of a 52-year-old female patient with Bekhterev's disease, who underwent aortic valve reconstruction with autopericardium and mitral homograft implantation in mitral position. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The use of homografts and reconstructive surgeries using autologous materials allow not only avoiding lifelong intake of anticoagulants, but also maintaining hemodynamic profile comparable to that of native valves. CONCLUSION: This clinical case shows that treatment of patients with rheumatic diseases is a complex treatment problem that requires a personalized approach.