Multiple triangular resection: a reliable technique for correction of multiple prolapse of the mitral valve.

Quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve is a well-established technique for the treatment of mitral regurgitation from prolapse of P2. Recently, Suri described triangular resection of the prolapsing scallop, a technique that, avoiding the plication of the annulus corresponding to the resected leaflet, maintains the geometry of the mitral annulus, allowing a more physiologic function of the mitral valve. In this paper, we report multiple triangular resection for the treatment of multiple prolapse of the posterior leaflet.

Echocardiographic assessment of mitral valve morphology and performance after triangular resection of the prolapsing posterior leaflet for degenerative myxomatous disease.

The gold standard for the surgical treatment of prolapse of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve (MV) for degenerative myxomatous disease has been represented by the quadrangular resection of the leaflet, according to the Carpentier technique. Since 2006 we performed a triangular resection of the prolapsing leaflet in 20 patients with myxomatous mitral regurgitation (MR). Seventeen patients (85%) underwent the triangular resection of P2; one patient (5%) had a triple scallops triangular resection (P1, P2, P3) and two (10%) a double scallops (P2, P3) resection. In this study, we report the immediate and mid-term clinical and echocardiographic results of a cohort of 20 patients, who underwent this technique. Thirty-day mortality was 0. Acute renal failure occurred in three patients (15%) and they resolved with conservative management. One patient (5%) required re-exploration for bleeding. At the mean follow-up of 13.1+/-4.2 months survival was 95%; one patient died of lymphoma during the follow-up time. All the cases were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I. Nineteen survivors underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (5), or transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (13), performed by two skilled cardiologists. All patients showed no or trivial MV regurgitation. We believe that triangular resection of posterior MV leaflet (PMVL) provides excellent mid-term results providing the surgeon with a reliable and reproducible surgical option for myxomatous degenerative MV regurgitation.

[Papillary muscle head rupture in a patient with normal coronarography findings].

BACKGROUND: Rupture of papillary muscle generally happens during acute myocardial infarction and is the cause of acute mitral regurgitation, pulmonary oedema, so it should be promptly recognized and managed. CASE REPORT: A patient, 52 year-old, was admitted to the Thoracic Department with fever, general weakness, dyspnea and cough as a case of suspected pneumonia. Two days before the admission he was treated with antibiotics. At thoracic ward, his clinical status got serious and he transferred to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as pulmonary oedema. At the time of admission to ICU the patient was seriously ill with tachycardia, tachydyspnea, orthopnea and cyanosis image. Auscultatory, he showed pulmonal stasis at both sides and a tachyarrhythmic action, with a systolic murmur 5/6 grade above the mitral valve. Echocardiography showed grave mitral regurgitation with prolapsus of posterior leaflet with suspected chordal rupture. At coronarography no significant lesions of coronary arteries were found. After hemodynamic stabilization the patient was operated. During the operation, Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination showed a rupture of the head of the posteromedial papillary muscle. He was surgically treated with atypical quadrantectomy of posterior leaflet with homologous pericardial patch anuloplasty. CONCLUSION: The recognition of acute mitral regurgitation caused by the papillary muscle rupture and prompt surgical treatment is of vital interest for the survival of patients.

Effective method to control catastrophic hemorrhage during redo sternotomy.

Redo sternotomy is a challenging surgical procedure performed with increasing frequency; catastrophic hemorrhage is a rare but highly lethal complication. We report our experience in treating this complication in 3 cases of 307 reoperations and propose a simple method to control catastrophic hemorrhage during sternal reentry.