Triple-valve treatment for prosthetic valve endocarditis occurring 20 years after implantation of a Carpentier-Edwards pericardial bioprosthesis in the aortic valve

A 68-year-old woman had undergone aortic valve replacement and open commissurotomy 20 years previously. At the beginning of 2008, fever, cold, and heart failure symptoms were noted. On blood culture, Streptococcus oralis was detected three times. Surgery was performed under a diagnoses of prosthetic valve endocarditis in the aortic valve, mitral stenosis and insufficiency, and tricuspid insufficiency. Techniques consisted of additional aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and tricuspid annuloplasty. Vegetation was macroscopically and pathologically observed in the extirpated Carpentier-Edwards pericardial bioprosthesis that had been placed in the aortic valve. There was no postoperative recurrent inflammatory response. The patient was discharged 32 days after surgery.     

Optimal size of prostheses for functioning of the aortic prosthetic valve in aortic and mitral valve replacement with annular enlargement through Manouguian's technique

There is not yet agreement about the optimal size of the prostheses in aortic and mitral valve replacement with Manouguian's technique. In this technique, the aortic prosthetic valve can be pushed upon the mitral prosthesis which may cause dysfunction of the aortic prosthetic valve. The aim of this study was to clarify the size of the prostheses needed to avoid dysfunction of the aortic prosthetic valve. Three patients underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement through this procedure. Two of them had active aortic and mitral valve endocarditis. Aortomitral continuity involved with abscesses could be approached and completely excised using this technique. All patients survived the operation, but 1 of them suffered aortic mechanical valve dysfunction for the reason stated. Anatomical analysis of the geometrical relation of the 2 prosthetic valves suggests that the mitral annulus should be enlarged less than 25 mm to avoid dysfunction of the aortic prosthetic valve.     

Prosthetic valve endocarditis associated with paravalvular aortic and mitral abscesses

A 63-year-old female, who had undergone aortic and mitral valve replacement 16 years ago, was admitted because of urinary tract infection. The patient developed cerebral hemorrhage. Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from her blood culture. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed paravalvular aortic and mitral abscesses, and the diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis was established. A redo double valve replacement was performed. Both paravalvular abscess cavities were debrided and closed with fresh autologous pericardial patches, and mechanical valves were implanted. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and she had no sign of recurrent infection 3 years postoperatively.     

心脏瓣膜术后心室辅助治疗

目的 总结瓣膜病变术后重症心衰病人置入心室辅助(VADs)装置时,心脏瓣膜或人工瓣膜处理方法及围术期抗凝管理的经验.方法 回顾1994年1月到2008年6月,宾夕法尼亚大学附属医院心脏中心157例置入VADs病人中,10例为瓣膜术后重症心衰者.对于二尖瓣和三尖瓣病变,无论成形或置换,置入VADs时均未处理原瓣膜或人工瓣膜(环).5例主动脉瓣病变病例置入VADs时,2例用生物瓣膜取代了原机械瓣膜,1例未处理原来生物瓣膜,1例未处理原机械瓣膜,1例取出机械瓣膜,用牛心包封闭主动脉根部.结果 所有病人置入VADs术后应用抗凝治疗.10例病人中,停VAD出院和VAD姑息治疗各1例;转心脏移植4例;4例死亡,3例为多器官衰竭,1例为血栓栓塞事件.结论 瓣膜病变术后置入VADs总的生存率是60%,与非瓣膜病心衰病人置入VADs相比,未增加手术风险.

Abstract：

Objective An increasing number of patients requiring ventricular assist devices (VAD) have had previous valvular corrections,including valve repair,and valve replacement with mechanical or bioprosthetic valves.The operative and peri-operative management of these patients has been varied.Methods A retrospective study of VADs between Jan 1994 and June 2008 revealed 10 patients with previous prosthetic valves requiring management during and after VAD placement.Three patients were supported post-cardiotomy after valve surgery.Two patients were supported due to cardiogenic shock postopera-tively.Four patients were supported as a bridge to transplantation.One patient was supported as a destination therapy.Results The mitral valve was left untreated during VAD implantation regardless of valve repair or replacement.For aortic valves,the mechanical aortic valve was replaced with tissue valve in two patients and left untreated in one case.One patient had tricuspid valve repair previously and was left untouched.All patients with prosthetic valves in aortic,mitral and tricuspid position during VAD support received anticoagulation therapy.There were 4 deaths,and 4 went on to transplantation.One patient weaned from VAD and discharge from hospital.One patient received HeartMate Ⅰ as destination therapy.The most common causes of death were multisystem organ failure and sepsis.One patient had a thromboembolic event.Conclusion The survival rate of 60% is encouraging when compared to overall survival rates.The most common cause of death was multisystem organ failure.Patients with prosthetic valves may be safely managed during VAD support.     

In vitro investigation of aortic valve annuloplasty using prosthetic ring devices

Objectives: The remodeling of the dilatated valve annulus with a prosthetic ring for the repair of valve insufficiency is a well-established concept in mitral valve surgery, and may also be suitable for aortic valve reconstruction. In this study, two models of prosthetic aortic annuloplasty devices were investigated. Methods: Fresh porcine aortic roots (n = 16) were investigated in a pulsatile flow simulator after patch dilatation of the annulus and subsequent reconstruction using both an external and an internal prosthetic ring. For each configuration, leakage was determined by ultrasonic flow measurements and leaflet co-aptation by transesophageal echocardiography. In addition, valves’ motions were recorded by high-speed video. Results: By the use of the prosthetic annuloplasty rings, leakage volumes decreased significantly compared with the dilatated root, more pronounced with the intra-annular ring. Similarly, the co-aptation height of the leaflets increased. Pressure gradients were not significantly influenced by the ring application, but leaflet motion patterns changed from the usual trapezoid to a more rectangular opening characteristic, visible at both echocardiographic and high-speed video analysis. Conclusions: The reconstruction of a dilatated aortic valve annulus using external and internal ring devices is feasible and effective for reduction of regurgitation at which the internal ring provides a greater potential to decrease valve insufficiency.     

Early mechanical failures of the Hancock pericardial xenograft

From August 1981 to July 1984, a total of 97 Hancock pericardial xenografts were implanted in 84 patients, whose ages ranged from 13 to 75 years (mean 55.7 +/- 13). Mitral value replacement was performed in 17, aortic valve replacement in 54, and mitral-aortic valve replacement in 13. Operative survivors were reevaluated from July to September 1985. Cumulative duration of follow-up is 167 patient-years (range 0.5 to 4.1 years), and follow-up is 99% complete. The overall late mortality (at 4 years) is 3.6% +/- 1.4% per patient year, and the actuarial survival rate is 95.4% +/- 3% for aortic valve replacement, 74.7% +/- 16.5% for mitral valve replacement, and 67.1% +/- 20.7% for mitral-aortic valve replacement. One patient sustained a thromboembolic event after mitral valve replacement, but no such complications occurred after aortic or mitral-aortic valve replacement. Actuarial freedom from embolism at 4 years is 100% for aortic and mitral-aortic valve replacement and 93.3% +/- 6.4% for mitral valve replacement. Reoperation for Hancock pericardial xenograft dysfunction was performed in seven patients (five aortic and two mitral-aortic). In the aortic valve replacement group the causes were endocarditis in one, paravalvular leak in one, and primary tissue failure in three; all survived reoperation. The two patients with mitral-aortic valve replacement required reoperation because of primary tissue failure of both Hancock pericardial xenografts, and one died. All values explanted because of primary tissue failure showed commissural tears causing severe prosthetic regurgitation. Calcium deposits were severe in one and mild but unrelated to the cusp rupture in another. Collagen disarray was seen only at the site of the tears, whereas the collagen structure was well preserved in the intact parts of the cusps. Four patients with aortic valve replacement and one with mitral valve replacement show evidence of Hancock pericardial xenograft failure and are awaiting reoperation. The actuarial freedom from primary tissue failure at 4 years is 74.3% +/- 9.8% for aortic and 78.9% +/- 13.2% for mitral Hancock pericardial xenografts. At medium-term follow-up, the Hancock pericardial xenograft has shown poor durability and an extremely high rate of early mechanical failure, especially in the aortic position. These observations suggest the need for a close follow-up of Hancock pericardial xenograft recipients and possibly elective reoperation in asymptomatic patients with clinical evidence of prosthetic failure. These results have led us to discontinue the clinical use of this pericardial xenograft.     

A case report of the reinforcing technique with collared prosthesis for the prosthetic valve endocarditis in mitral position

A 58-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of the prosthetic valve endocarditis in mitral position. In the past, this patient was undertaken double valve replacement in mitral and aortic position. Nevertheless, postoperative course was not in stable condition, showing persistent sign of the infection. The appearance of mitral regurgitant murmur and regurgitant signal by colour Doppler cardiography could make sure of the diagnosis for prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) in mitral position. The operation for PVE in mitral prosthesis was undertaken as follows. As there was extensive annular infection around the mitral valve, the new mitral prosthesis (Duromedics valve) with the Gore-tex flange, so called collared prosthesis, was revised. The collared prosthesis was implanted in the mitral annulus by using the suture ring of the Duromedics valve as well as possible, furthermore, the Gore-tex flange were sutured in the left atrial wall 2 cm above the mitral ring. Postoperatively, the infection sign and congestive heart failure were completely subsided. This patient has been in very healthy condition these days and restored to the daily life.     

Mitral valve replacement for a severely calcified mitral annulus

We herein describe a surgical technique in a mitral valve replacement for a hemodialysis patient presenting with mitral valve stenosis and severe mitral annular calcification. Mitral annular calcification extending to the left ventricular myocardium was resected using a cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) to make a flat plane from the left atrium to the left ventricle. An autologous pericardium was secured to the posterior left ventricular wall and to the left atrial wall covering the mitral annulus for annular reconstruction. In the posterior mitral annulus, the prosthetic valve was fixed onto this pericardial patch. After the operation, the patient recovered well without any embolic complications. The prosthetic valve functions normally without any perivalvular leakage. Decalcification using the CUSA and the annular reconstruction with a pericardial patch is therefore indicated in valve replacement for patients with severe mitral annular calcification.     

Single-center experience with the bicarbon bileaflet prosthetic heart valve in Japan

We analyzed midterm results using the Bicarbon valve in a single center. Forty-four patients had aortic valve replacement (AVR), 48 had mitral valve replacement (MVR), and 13 had both aortic and mitral valve replacement (DVR). The mean age of the 105 patients was 61.2 +/- 11.3 years. The mean follow-up was 1.8 +/- 1.1 years with a cumulative follow-up of 188 patient-years. There were 5 early deaths (4.7%: 4 in the AVR group and 1 in the MVR group) and 5 late deaths (2.7% per patient-year: 3 malignancy, 1 cerebral hemorrhage, 1 myocardial infarction). Survival at 3 years was 91 +/- 4% in the AVR group, 92 +/- 5% in the MVR group, and 66 +/- 23% in the DVR group. The linearized incidence of thromboembolic complications, hemorrhagic complications, and paravalvular leaks in all patients was 1.06 +/- 2.34%, 1.60 +/- 2.53%, and 0.53 +/- 2.22% per patient-year, respectively. No other complications were observed. In conclusion, the Bicarbon prosthetic heart valve has shown excellent clinical results associated with a low incidence of valve-related complications.     

Novel method of valve replacement with interrupted sutures using protractor rings for the partitioning of a prosthetic sewing ring.

Newly devised protractor rings that can equally partition a prosthetic valve sewing ring into 10-20 acrs have been used on 46 patients who underwent 59 aortic, mitral, and/or tricuspid valve replacement. After an appropriate number of interrupted mattress sutures were placed along the host annulus, one of the 11 protractor rings was chosen and used to copy the partition onto the sewing ring with a tissue pen. The interrupted mattress sutures kept on a suture holder were then passed through the prosthetic sewing ring directly from one end to the other. Based on ex vivo experiments in simulating valve replacement, it was evident that time required for placing sutures around the sewing ring was significantly shortened by the use of such protractor rings. The use of these protractor rings may thus be useful in decreasing valve replacement time as well as in potentially simplifying operative procedures.     

人工心脏瓣膜心内膜炎的外科治疗

目的 总结人工心脏瓣膜心内膜炎(PVE)的外科治疗。方法 1990年至2003年8月，手术治疗PVE病人21例，其中亚急性16例，急性5例。血细菌培养阳性13例。心脏超声检查主动脉瓣瓣周漏6例，二尖瓣瓣周漏3例，主动脉瓣区赘生物3例，二尖瓣区5例。应用机械瓣再次手术行二尖瓣置换11例，主动脉瓣置换10例，同期行升主动脉假性瘤切除和主动脉修补成形1例。术中均见有赘生物；二尖瓣环脓肿7例，瓣周脓肿3例；主动脉瓣环脓肿8例，瓣周脓肿4例。结果术后早期死亡5例，其中3例死于感染复发，2例死于多脏器功能衰竭；晚期死亡1例。随访4个月至13年，1例PVE再发，内科治疗无效，死亡。结论及时诊断PVE，正确掌握手术时机，彻底清除感染组织和围术期应用大剂量敏感抗生素，是提高PVE手术效果的关键。     

Patch Enlargement of the Aortic and the Mitral Valve Rings with Aortic-Mitral Double-Valve Replacement

In 1 patient, patch enlargement of the aortic valve ring was accomplished by extending the aortic incision into the anterior mitral leaflet. The pericardial patch broke from the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve on the fourth postoperative day. The resultant acute mitral incompetence necessitated mitral valve replacement also. An aortic-mitral double-valve replacement with attendent enlargement of both the aortic and mitral valve rings ensued. To our knowledge, enlargement of the aortic and mitral valve rings with aortic-mitral double-valve replacement has not been described in the literature.     

Surgery for prosthetic valve obstruction. A single center study of 136 patients

Objectives: Prosthetic heart valve obstruction (PHVO) is a potentially fatal complication of heart valve replacement with mechanical substitute mainly due to thrombosis. The purpose of this report is to present a single-center experience of 136 consecutive patients operated on between 1978 and 2001. Methods: The diagnosis of PHVO was mainly assessed by fluoroscopy and/or echocardiography. Thrombosed valves were bileaflet (82), tilting disc (47) and ball cage (7) valves; of these, 90 were in mitral, 38 in aortic, six in aortic and mitral position, and two in tricuspid position. The mean interval between the first implantation and valve thrombosis was 7.4±6.6 years (range 1 day to 28 years); in 37 patients preoperative medical therapy (fibrinolysis in 21, and heparin alone in 16) was unsuccessful. Results: Operative procedures included valve re-replacement in 104 cases and declotting-pannus excision in 32 cases. Early hospital mortality was 10.3% (14 patients), all in NYHA class III or IV, and one patient suffered a perioperative cerebral embolic event. Surgery was then successful in 121 of 136 patients (89%), but during a 3.15-year follow-up, prosthetic heart valve thrombosis recurred in ten out of 122 survivors (8.1%). Conclusion: From this experience, it can be concluded that for most PHVO, early operation is currently effective and safe, especially in patients in stable hemodynamic condition preoperatively.     

心脏瓣膜置换术同期行三尖瓣成形术治疗体会

目的探讨在二尖瓣和/或动脉瓣置换术同期行三尖瓣成形术的合理手术指征、方法及围术期的处理。方法回顾分析三尖瓣成形术治疗三尖瓣关闭不全136例,其中行Devega成形65例,人工环成形48例,Key,s成形23例。同时行二尖瓣置换94例,二尖瓣＋主动脉瓣置换42例。结果术后院内死亡5例,死亡率3.6%;迟发性心包填塞6例经心包引流治愈。术后随访2个月～8年,获访112例,5例死于顽固性心力衰竭,其余心功能明显改善。心脏超声示右心房及右心室较术前明显缩小。27例仍有轻中度返流。结论在瓣膜置换术中据三尖瓣环扩大的部位及返流程度,选择不同的成形方式对于三尖瓣关闭不全疗效满意。围术期及术后加强强心、利尿及扩血管治疗有效降低肺动脉高压,可进一步提高三尖瓣成形近、远期疗效。     

A case of aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis with aortic root aneurysm

A 72-year-old male who underwent patch closure of atrial septal defect and aortic valve replacement (AVR) 10 years ago was diagnosed as aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis for recurrent fever, coexisting paravalvular leakage and aortic root aneurysm by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Operative findings showed mechanical prosthesis was dehiscenced in part and limited subannular aneurysm that was healed macroscopically. The hole of the aneurysm was closed by direct suture. Re-AVR, mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty for complicating mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation and tricuspid valve regurgitation was performed. The patient is now doing well for one year after the reoperation.     

Mitral Valve Replacement with Dura Mater Bioprostheses

Dura mater bioprostheses for cardiac valve replacement were first introduced in Brazil. They have been used since 1975 at the National Heart Hospital, London, as a mitral valve replacement instead of fascia lata valves or inverted aortic homograft valves. During this period 120 patients have had dura mater valves inserted in the mitral position; 29 also received an aortic valve replacement, 6 with dura mater, 20 with an aortic homograft, 2 with an aortic xeno-graft and 1 with a prosthetic valve. Perivalvular leaks occurred with seven of these mitral valves, and another seven presented with detached cusps. All but one of these 14 valves were replaced. Emboli have occurred in four of the patients, one of whom died after 35 months with thrombus on the aortic valve, but with an unaffected mitral valve. There were 15 early deaths, a hospital mortality of 12.5%. and 10 late deaths, a postoperative mortality of 9.5%. Actuarial analysis has shown a four-year postoperative survival of 78.970.     

A case of aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis with aortic root aneurysm]

A 72-year-old male who underwent patch closure of atrial septal defect and aortic valve replacement (AVR) 10 years ago was diagnosed as aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis for recurrent fever, coexisting paravalvular leakage and aortic root aneurysm by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Operative findings showed mechanical prosthesis was dehiscenced in part and limited subannular aneurysm that was healed macroscopically. The hole of the aneurysm was closed by direct suture. Re-AVR, mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty for complicating mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation and tricuspid valve regurgitation was performed. The patient is now doing well for one year after the reoperation.     

Triple valve repair for young rheumatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Facing young foreign polyvalvular rheumatic patients, for which long-term anticoagulation is not available, we have chosen to attempt triple valve repair procedures in order to avoid prosthetic implantation in this particular population suffering from triple valve disease. METHODS: Twenty-one young rheumatic patients (mean age:11+/-4 years) underwent triple valve repair procedures including cusp extension on the aortic valve aortic between September, 1992 and December, 2000. Valvular pathology characteristics according to Carpentier's classification included mitral insufficiency type III post+II ant (n=10), type III post (n=4), type II ant (n=2), mitral stenosis (n=5), type III aortic insufficiency (n=21), type I (n=13) and type III (n=8) tricuspid insufficiency. RESULTS: Firstly, the mitral valve disease were corrected using Carpentier's techniques of repair: prosthetic ring annuloplasty (n=16), commissurotomy (n=12), chord transposition (n=11) or shortening (n=4), papillary muscle sliding plasty (n=4) and pericardial patch leaflet enlargement (n=6). Secondly, aortic lesions were corrected using glutaraldehyde stabilized autologous pericardium triple cusps extension technique (n=21). Lastly, tricuspid repairs were always performed on beating hearts using commissurotomy (n=8), prosthetic ring (n=12) or other techniques (n=9) of annuloplasty. The operative mortality was 4.7% (one patient died). Echocardiograms before discharge showed grade I mitral insufficiency in seven patients and grade I aortic insufficiency in five patients. There was no late death during a mean follow-up of 51+/-31 months. Two patients underwent valvular redo surgery because of aortic and mitral plasty deterioration due to rheumatic disease progress. After 5 years, 90% of the patients were free from redo valvular surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In rheumatic patients, autologous pericardial patch extension of the aortic valve permitted widespread use of reconstructive surgery even in patients suffering from triple valve disease. Triple valve repair, in this particular challenging setting of patients, has provided satisfactory initial and mid-term results and could be considered as an interesting palliative surgical approach.     

复杂性感染性心内膜炎的外科治疗

目的评价瓣周脓肿、心肌脓肿以及瓣膜严重毁损等复杂性感染性心内膜炎手术治疗的近、远期疗效.方法回顾性分析1988年12月至2002年6月手术治疗的复杂性心内膜炎患者57例临床资料,均为原发性心内膜炎,其中感染侵犯主动脉瓣25例、二尖瓣16例、二尖瓣和主动脉瓣16例.术中发现瓣叶严重毁损32例、主动脉瓣周脓肿19例、主动脉根部环形脓肿导致左心室-主动脉连接破坏4例、二尖瓣后瓣环脓肿11例、心肌脓肿6例、瓣膜赘生物形成55例.脓肿清除后遗留残腔采用间断褥式缝合6例、自体心包片修补19例、牛心包片修补6例、聚四氟乙烯膨体补片修补4例;施行以带瓣管道作升主动脉根部替换和左、右冠状动脉移植术4例,主动脉瓣替换术21例,二尖瓣替换术16例,主动脉瓣及二尖瓣双瓣替换术16例.结果早期死亡6例(11%),死亡主要原因为低心输出量综合征、人造心脏瓣膜性心内膜炎和多脏器功能衰竭.随访4个月至14年,平均(5.93±0.20)年.晚期死亡5例,晚期主要并发症为人造瓣膜性心内膜炎.术后1年心功能恢复NYHA分组Ⅰ～Ⅱ级占96%(44/46);5年再手术免除率为(84±3)%,5年实际生存率为(61±9)%.结论复杂性心内膜炎局部组织破坏较多,应限期手术或急症手术,清创后残腔的处理是影响手术本身能否成功以及术后近、远期效果的关键.     

Reoperation for a Starr-Edwards aortic prosthetic valve 33 years after initial implantation

A 40-year-old woman admitted with heart failure had undergone aortic valve replacement with a Model 2310 Starr-Edwards valve due to aortic regurgitation 33 years previously. She had been followed up for several years, but discontinued follow-up and medication (including Warfarin) for the past 25 years. Echocardiography demonstrated marked dilatation and thickening of the left ventricle, and the peak pressure gradient of the prosthesis was measured as 87.9 mmHg. Under the diagnosis of chronic aortic valve prosthesis-patient mismatch with subsequent severe left ventricular dysfunction, the Starr-Edwards valve was explanted and replaced with a 23 mm St. Jude Medical prosthetic valve. The removed valve showed minimal cloth wear except for a small part of the strut. The postoperative echocardiography demonstrated recovering of left ventricular function. To our best knowledge, this case presents the longest duration for a surgically explanted Starr-Edwards aortic prosthetic valve in Japan.