Aortic valve replacement in a woman with osteogenesis imperfecta.

The mortality rate in cardiac surgery patients with heritable generalized connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan s syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta, is high due to tissue friability. We describe a successful open heart surgery for repair of aortic regurgitation in a woman with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Although tissue friability caused no problems during surgery in this case, it should be kept in mind when operating on patients with OI.