Thromboembolic Complications of Mitral Valve Disease

Summary: Five hundred and eighty-eight patients with mitral valve disease were studied.
The incidence of systemic emboli was found to be higher in patients with pure mitral stenosis (16-6%) and mixed mitral stenosis and incompetence (19-4%) than in patients with mitral incompetence (3-1%).
The patients with mitral stenosis who had episodes of systemic emboli tended to be older than 40 years, with moderate or severe valve lesions, atrial fibrillation and moderate or gross enlargement of the left atrial appendage or left atrium.
The following factors were found to be unrelated to systemic embolism – associated aortic valve disease, sex, smoking habit, history of rheumatism, parity, haemoglobin, blood urea, pulmonary hypertension, duration of antifailure treatment, presence of heart failure, and cardiothoracic ratio.     

Three-Dimensional Echocardiography and Mitral Valve Disease

Three-dimensional echocardiography is a growing imaging modality, particularly for the evaluation of mitral valve pathology. Functional anatomy in disease states such as mitral regurgitation and stenosis as well as prosthetic valves can be effectively studied, offering superior knowledge to treating physicians. Additionally, three-dimensional echocardiography has the ability to help guide operative and percutaneous interventions, allowing for improved patient outcomes and advancement of clinical research. Continued experience with three-dimensional echocardiography will further our knowledge of the mitral valve and refine current indications for cardiovascular imaging.     

Cellular Mechanisms in Mitral Valve Disease

The mitral valve is a living structure comprised of specific structural components which contain a heterogeneous population of cells. The cells include an amalgam of interstitial cells within the valve and a continuous covering of endothelial cells, each of which play a role in responding to the mechanical forces that the valve experiences, to maintain the function and durability of the valve. Attention on the characteristics and function of valve cells has focused mainly on those in the aortic valve, with relatively few studies addressing the role of these cells in the physiological and pathophysiological function of the mitral valve. This article reviews what is known about the function of cells within the mitral valve and how the changes in the physical and chemical environments can affect their function in the different types of mitral valve disease. Investigating the contribution of the cellular components of the mitral valve to valve function in health and disease will aid the understanding of how the durability and function of the valve are regulated, and possibly highlight molecular and pharmacological targets for the development of novel treatments for mitral valve disease.     

Mitral Valve Interventions in Structural Heart Disease

Purpose of review

Analyze the current state of the art and the future perspectives of mitral interventions in clinical setting.

Recent Findings

A systematic and critical review of the new mitral percutaneous therapies and imaging technologies is the basis to adopt the right treatment for each patient according to specific valve dysfunction and clinical presentation, waiting for definitive guidelines. While surgical mitral repair will remain the gold standard for low-risk healthy patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR), transcatheter mitral valve repair is becoming first line therapy in high risk patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). The introduction of transcatheter mitral valve replacement will expand indications for advanced DMR and FMR in inoperable patients.

Summary

The introduction of transcatheter mitral interventions is changing the mitral therapy scenario. Mitral interventionalists might evolve into hybrid professional figures able to offer a tailored approach for each patient, including surgical and percutaneous approaches, depending on the anatomo-functional status of the valve, to clinical conditions, and to the timing of the intervention.

     

风湿性心脏病二尖瓣病变患者瓣膜替换术后肺功能的改变

目的：了解风湿性心脏病二尖瓣病变患者二尖瓣替换术（ＭＶＲ）后肺功能的改变。方法：观察２６例风湿性心脏病二尖瓣病变患者ＭＶＲ术前和术后３～１２个月的肺功能改变。结果：ＭＶＲ后３个月的肺功能与术前相比，无明显好转。术后６～１２个月，患者的各通气功能指标均有明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０５～Ｐ＜０．０１），但肺的一氧化碳弥散功能（ＤＬＣＯ）术后不但无增加，反而有下降的趋势。结论：ＭＶＲ术后３个月患者的肺功能与术前相比，无明显好转，可能与剖胸手术创伤有关。随着心功能的改善，术后６～１２个月，患者的通气功能逐渐改善，但ＤＬＣＯ并不增加，推测可能与患者术后肺泡毛细血管容量减少以及肺组织结构损害不可逆性改变有关。     

State of the Art: Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease

Mitral valve repair is the treatment of choice for severe mitral regurgitation. It offers superior long-term survival, freedom from cardiac events and quality of life to mitral valve replacement, and medical management. As a result increasing numbers of minimally symptomatic patients with preserved left ventricular function are being referred for mitral valve repair: long term outcomes in these patients have been shown to be similar to that of the general population. A clear understanding of the aetiology, lesions and valve dysfunction is necessary to guide timing and choice of treatment.