Mitral Valve Reconstruction and Mitral Valve Replacement for Ischemic Mitral Insufficiency

Abstract Background: Patients with ischemic mitral incompetence have a high operative risk whether the valve is repaired or replaced. The advantage of repair over replacement is unclear in this group of patients. Methods: Between April 1986 and December 1994, 232 patients underwent surgery for ischemic mitral valve insufficiency; mitral valve replacement was performed in 98 of them. Operative mortality was 13.3%. The actuarial survival rate after 5 years was 73.3%. The surgical risk in patients whose left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 10%-30% (operative mortality 50.0%) was higher than in those whose LVEF was greater than 30%. Valve reconstruction was performed in 102 patients. Operative mortality in this patient group was 14.7%. The surgical risk in patients whose LVEF was 30% was higher (operative mortality 42.9%). Results: The total actuarial survival rate of all patients was 64.4% after 5 years. Mortality during follow-up was higher in patients with residual mitral valve insufficiency greater than grade I after mitral valve reconstruction. Twenty-four patients with severly impaired left ventricular function underwent heart transplantation. Operative mortality in this group was 12.5%. Eight patients received left ventricular aneurysmectomy in addition to valve surgery, three of them died early. Conclusions: We conclude that patients with highly impaired left ventricular function and ischemic mitral insufficiency are at too great a risk for either valve reconstruction or replacement. Cardiac transplantation should be considered for this patient group. However, patients with ischemic mitral insufficiency and moderately impaired left ventricular function can undergo valve reconstruction or replacement with an acceptable prognosis. The goal of mitral valve reconstruction should be reducing mitral valve insufficiency to at least grade I. If this is not achieved, the prognosis after repair is worse than after valve replacement, therefore, the surgeon should replace the valve without delay.     

保留二尖瓣装置的二尖瓣替换术

本文报道保留二尖瓣装置的二尖瓣替换术１９例。结果表明：术后病人血波动力学稳定、心功能恢复快，手术并发症少。对手术适应证的迭择、手术方法和术中注意事项进行了讨论。     

二尖瓣成形术治疗二尖瓣关闭不全

二尖瓣成形术与二尖瓣置换术相比有较多优点，因此，近年来二尖瓣成形术治疗二尖瓣关闭不全越来越受到临床医生的重视。针对二尖瓣关闭不全的不同病理改变，可以采用瓣环成形、三角形切除、四边形切除以及腱索转移、置换等方法。随着微创外科的发展，小切口二尖瓣成形和机器人辅助的二尖瓣成形技术也逐渐发展起来；另外，对二尖瓣关闭不全进行介入治疗也开始起步。相信随着手术技术的不断成熟，将会有更多二尖瓣关闭不全患者接受二尖瓣成形术的治疗。     

Open Mitral Commissurotomy

We analyzed the results obtained in 163 consecutive patients with “pure” mitral stenosis who underwent operation by the open approach exclusively. Calcification was found in the mitral valve leaflets in 11% of the patients and left atrial thrombus, in 13.2%. A statistically significant relationship was discovered between history of previous systemic embolism and cardiac rhythm (p < 0.005). The subvalvular apparatus was affected in 66.6% of patients; most of them were in New York Heart Association Functional Class III (p < 0.005).The frequency with which annuloplasty had to be performed because of mitral insufficiency after commissurotomy was statistically higher (p < 0.025) among patients in Functional Class III. Early mortality was 1.2% and late mortality, 0.2% per patient-year. Two patients required late reoperation (0.4% per patient-year). One was in Functional Class III and the other, Functional Class IV before the first operation. Three patients sustained a late systemic embolism (0.6% per patient-year). All survivors but 1 are in Functional Class I (84.4%) or II (14.9%).     

Mitral valve fibroelastoma

Papillary fibroelastomas are rare benign tumors of the heart with predisposition for cardiac valvular involvement that were traditionally incidental findings at autopsy. Echocardiography now is allowing clinicians to diagnose these tumors in living patients. We reviewed the literature and, to our knowledge, are reporting the fifth documented case of a mitral valve papillary fibroelastoma in a living patient. Our patient was seen with bilateral transient ischemic attacks and was found to have a mitral valve tumor by two-dimensional echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. The tumor involved the entire mitral valve and subvalvular structures. The patient's valve was replaced with a bioprosthesis, and she remains free from symptoms.