Length of second-order chordae as a predictor of systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether the length of anterior mitral leaflet second-order chordae (SOC) could be considered as a predictor of the incidence of post-repair systolic anterior motion (SAM) and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) in patients with myxomatous mitral valve disease. METHODS: With the implementation of preoperative transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE), the length of anterior mitral leaflet SOC, anterior leaflet (AL) and posterior leaflet (PL) as well as the distance from the coaptation point to the septum (C-S distance) before and after mitral valve repair (MVR) surgery were measured in 190 patients, comprising 12 who developed SAM and 178 who did not. RESULTS: The results revealed that, in patients who developed SAM, SOC were significantly higher (2.76 ± 0.15 vs 1.83 ± 0.32 mm, P < 0.001) and the C-S distance was significantly lower (2.18 ± 0.36 vs 2.91 ± 0.36 mm, P < 0.001) in comparison to the obtained results for those who did not develop SAM. SOC and the C-S distance were independent risk factors of developing SAM and had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (P < 0.001). With application of a cut-off ROC curve analysis, the cut-offs selected for the two variables of C-S distance and SOC were 2.5 and 2.6, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of SAM development were 100% [95% confidence interval (CI): 73.5-100] and 87.1% (95% CI: 81.0-91.4) for SOC ≥2.6 and 83.3% (95% CI: 51.6-97.9) and 73.6% (95% CI: 66.4-79.9) for the C-S distance ≤2.5. CONCLUSIONS: The two variables of the second-order chordae and the distance from the coaptation point to the septum were associated with an increased risk of the post-repair systolic anterior motion after mitral valve repair.

Efficacy of papillary muscle approximation in preventing functional mitral regurgitation recurrence in high-risk patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is often complicated by the appearance of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). Although mitral ring annuloplasty (MAP) is the most widely used surgical procedure for the surgical treatment of FMR, there are still reports of patients who suffer recurrent FMR at later follow-ups. We sought to investigate the efficacy of papillary muscle approximation (PMA) combined with MAP in preventing the recurrence of FMR in high-risk patients. METHODS: One hundred patients with ischaemic (74%) or non-ischaemic (26%) DCM along with severe (4+/4+) or moderately severe (3+/4+) FMR were enrolled in this prospective, cross-sectional study. According to the interpapillary muscle distance (iPMD) and coaptation depth (CD), the patients were risk stratified as low (iPMD + CD 30 mm, n= 69) and high-risk (iPMD + CD > 30 mm, n= 31) groups. The low-risk patients underwent only MAP, whereas the high-risk patients underwent MAP plus PMA. RESULTS: After a mean +/- SD follow-up of 40.8 +/- 12.5 months, recurrence of 3+ to 4+ MR was observed in 8 (8.7%) and 7 (11.1%) patients in the annuloplasty group (MAP-only) and one (3.4%) patient in the combination group (MAP plus PMA) (P= 0.428). At the final follow-up, the New York Heart Association (NYHA) function class was 1.57 +/- 0.62 in the annuloplasty group and 1.45 +/- 0.57 in the combination group; there was no significant difference in NYHA function class between the first and final follow-ups (P> 0.05). CONCLUSION: iPMD is a valuable index in the riskstratification of the recurrence of post-MAP MR in patients with DCM complicated by FMR.The patients treated with MAP plus PMA had more favourable outcomes and lower recurrence rates than those treated via the traditional route of MAP only.

The viable mitral annular dynamics and left ventricular function after mitral valve repair by biological rings.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the importance of annular dynamics in the valvular and ventricular function, we sought to evaluate the effects of treated pericardial annuloplasty rings on mitral annular dynamics and left-ventricular (LV) function after mitral valve repair. The results were compared with the mitral annular dynamics and LV function in patients with rigid and flexible rings and also in those without any heart problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-six consecutive patients with a myxomatous mitral valve and severe regurgitation were prospectively enrolled in this observational cohort study. The patients underwent comparable surgical mitral valve reconstruction; of these 100 received autologous pericardium rings (Group I), 20 were given flexible prosthetic rings (Group II), and 16 received rigid rings (Group III). Other repair modalities were also performed, depending on the involved segments. The patients were compared with 100 normal subjects in whom an evaluation of the coronary artery was not indicative of valvular or myocardial abnormalities (Group IV). At follow-up, LV systolic indices were assessed via two-dimensional echocardiography at rest and during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Mitral annular motion was examined through mitral annulus systolic excursion (MASE). Peak transmitral flow velocities (TMFV) and mitral valve area (MVA) were also evaluated by means of continuous-wave Doppler. RESULTS: A postoperative echocardiographic study showed significant mitral regurgitation (>=2+) in one patient in Group I, one patient in Group II, and none in Group III. None of the patients died. There was a noteworthy increase in TMFV with stress in all the groups, the increase being more considerable in the prosthetic ring groups (Group I from 1.10 ± 0.08 to 1.36 ± 0.13 m/s, Group II from 1.30 ± 0.11 to 1.59 ± 0.19 m/s, Group III from 1.33 ± 0.09 to 1.69 ± 0.21 m/s, and Group IV from 1.08 ± 0.08 to 1.21 ± 0.12 m/s). Recruitment of LVEF reserve during stress was observed in the pericardial ring and normal groups (Group I from 54.6±6.2 to 64.6±7.3%, P<0.005; and Group IV from 55.3 ± 5.7 to 66 ± 6.2%, P<0.05), but no significant changes were detected in the prosthetic ring groups (Group II from 50.4 ± 5 to 55.0 ± 5.1, and Group III from 51.1 ± 6.6 to 53.8 ± 4.7). There was a significant MASE increase in both of the studied longitudinal segments at rest and during stress in Groups I and IV compared with the prosthetic ring groups. There was no calcification of the pericardial rings. CONCLUSIONS: The use of treated autologous pericardium rings for mitral valve annuloplasty yields excellent mitral annular dynamics, preserves LV function during stress conditions, and leaves no echocardiographic signs of degeneration.

Scoring system for predicting saphenous vein graft patency in coronary artery bypass grafting.

The initial and long-term benefits of coronary artery bypass grafting depend upon maintaining the coronary blood flow supplied by the graft. In order to devise a scoring system for predicting graft patency, we evaluated presumptive correlations between saphenous vein graft patency and the characteristics of saphenous veins that were used as conduits in coronary revascularization.We prospectively evaluated 1,000 saphenous vein segments that were implanted in 403 consecutive patients who underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting at our hospital from January 2006 through February 2009. Branches, varicosity, diameter, and wall thickness were evaluated, and a scoring system was created in order to obtain a value for each characteristic. The patients were postoperatively monitored for 1 year, and graft patency was then evaluated with the use of 64-slice multidetector computed tomography.Lesions were found in 12.3% of the grafts. All of the evaluated characteristics of the grafts had a significant correlation with saphenous vein graft flow (P <0.0001). Using the venous characteristics in our statistical analysis, we devised a formula to obtain a score (range, 4-12) to predict the patency of each graft. A cutoff score of 7 yielded 87.8% sensitivity and 82.8% specificity.Our scoring system has good prognostic value. We believe that it can assist surgeons in choosing the most appropriate conduit and target vessel for coronary artery bypass grafting, especially in high-risk patients who are particularly dependent on blood flow through saphenous vein grafts.

Video-assisted ductal closure with new modifications: minimally invasive, maximally effective, 1,300 cases.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been shown to be a safe and effective method of closing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). We retrospectively studied our series of patients with PDA who underwent VATS closure with new modifications. METHODS: From June 1997 to December 2004, 1,300 consecutive patients diagnosed with PDA (mean age, 6 years) were referred to us, and all of them met our inclusion criteria for the VATS procedure. Recently, we made some minor alterations to our routine methodology. After complete closure of PDA by two titanium clips, the extubated patient leaves the operating room without a chest tube. RESULTS: There were 3 cases of chylothorax, which were successfully treated by thoracotomy and ligation of the small lymphatic ducts after 1 week of close observation. The procedure was changed to thoracotomy in 7 patients. Meanwhile, 5 additional patients had transient recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction. All cases were reassessed immediately after the procedure, and followed for more than 7 years by control echocardiography. No significant complication or residual shunt was recorded during the follow-up period. Mean procedure time was about 10 +/- 2 minutes. All patients were discharged shortly after the procedure (about 20 hours). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this experience, VATS appears to be safer and more effective as well as having other advantages such as being simple to perform, quick, and comfortable for the patients. Furthermore, the cosmetic benefits also make it appropriate as an outpatient procedure.