Mitral valve repair: an in-vitro comparison of the effect of surgical repair on the pressure required to cause mitral valve regurgitation

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to compare mitral valve repair techniques in vitro. Rupture or elongation of the mitral valve chordae tendineae is a known cause of mitral regurgitation, and can be corrected by edge-to-edge repair, chordal replacement, or chordal transposition. METHODS: A test apparatus was used to apply pressure to porcine mitral valves. Mitral valve specimens were tested intact (n = 50), after they had been experimentally damaged, and after repair. Each test was repeated ten times. Experimental damage consisted of severing either the anterior leaflet strut, and attached marginal chordae (n = 30) or posterior leaflet chordae (n = 20). Valves with damaged anterior leaflets were repaired by either: (i) edge-to-edge repair; (ii) chordal replacement; or (iii) chordal transposition. Valves with damaged posterior leaflets were repaired by the first two techniques. Each repair method was repeated on ten specimens. RESULTS: Mitral valves repaired using the edge-to-edge repair (p = 0.002) and chordal replacement (p = 0.038), after rupture to anterior leaflet chordae, recovered significantly better than specimens repaired by chordal transposition. There was no statistical difference in recovery between edge-to-edge repair and chordal replacement (p > 0.05). There was no statistical difference (p > 0.05) in the recovery of the pressure withstood by valves repaired by edge-to-edge repair and chordal replacement, after rupture of posterior leaflet chordae. CONCLUSION: These results showed that edge-to-edge repair and chordal replacement are well suited for the repair of both the anterior and posterior leaflets.