Mitral valve repair in rheumatic patients.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the role of reparative techniques for rheumatic-mitral valve disease. We have analyzed the late results of mitral valve repair in a group of patients with rheumatic mitral valve insufficiency. METHODS: From March 1980 to December 1997, 201 patients with rheumatic fever underwent mitral valve repair at the Heart Institute, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo. The mean age of patients was 26.9 +/- 15.4 years, with 59.7% of the patients being female. Other diagnoses were present in 67.7% of patients; the most common was tricuspid regurgitation (31.3%). Mitral valve repair techniques included: 1) Carpentier ring annuloplasty in 75 patients (37.3%); 2) posterior annuloplasty with bovine patch in 68 patients (33.8%); 3) posterior segmental annuloplasty in 16 patients (7.9%); 4) quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet with ring plication in 11 patients (5.5%); 5) partial resection of the anterior leaflet in 6 patients (3%); 6) De Vega's annuloplasty in 6 patients (3%); 7) Kay's annuloplasty in 5 patients (2.5%); 8) Reed's annuloplasty in 4 patients (2%); and 9) miscellaneous techniques in 10 patients (4.9%). Combined techniques were used in 94 patients (46.8%), the most frequent of which was chordal shortening (48 patients, 23.9%). Other non-mitral cardiac procedures were performed in 113 patients (56.2%). Actuarial survival and event-free curves (Kaplan-Meier method) were compared by linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.0% (four patients). The causes of death were multiorgan failure in two patients and low cardiac output in the other two patients. In the late postoperative period, 83.9% of the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class 1. The actuarial survival was 93.9% +/- 1.9% at a mean of 125 months. Twenty-three patients were reoperated in the postoperative period at a mean interval of 35.7 months. Survival free from reoperation was 43.3% +/- 13.7% at 125 months. When analyzing the patients according to age, actuarial survival was 91.3% +/- 3.8% in the group of patients younger than 16 years (Group 1), compared with 95.6% +/- 2.7% in the group older than 16 years (Group 2), with a statistically significant difference of p < 0.0001. Survival free from reoperation was 50.8% +/- 16.9% in Group 1 and 47.0% +/- 14.9% in Group 2 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Late results obtained with mitral valve repair for rheumatic mitral valve insufficiency were satisfactory and exceeded those reported for mitral valve replacement in the same population.

Mitral valve repair. Quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet in patients with myxomatous degeneration.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the immediate and late results of mitral valve repair with quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet without the use of a prosthetic ring annuloplasty. METHODS: Using this technique, 118 patients with mitral valve prolapse who underwent mitral repair from January '84 through December '96 were studied. Age ranged from 30 to 86 (mean = 59.1 +/- 11.8) years and 62.7% were males. An associated surgery was performed in 22% of the patients, and coronary artery bypass graft was the most frequently performed surgery (15 patients--12.7%). In 20 (16.9%) patients other associated techniques of mitral valve repair were used and shortening of elongated chordae tendineae was the most frequent one (6 patients). RESULTS: Immediate mortality was 0.9% (one patient). Long-term rates for thromboembolism, endocarditis, reoperation and death in the late postoperative period were 0.4%, 0.4%, 1.7% and 2.2% patients/year, respectively. The actuarial curve of survival was 83.8 +/- 8.6% over 12 years; survival free from re-operation was 91.8 +/- 4.3%, free from endocarditis was 99.2 +/- 0.8% and free from thromboembolism was 99.2 +/- 0.8%. In the late postoperative period, 93.8% of the patients were in functional class 1 (NYHA), with a complete follow-up in 89.7% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with mitral valve prolapse who undergo mitral valve repair using this technique have a satisfactory prognosis over 12 years.

Mitral valve repair. Quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet in patients with myxomatous degeneration.

OBJECTIVE - To analyze the immediate and late results of mitral valve repair with quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet without the use of a prosthetic ring annuloplasty. METHODS - Using this technique, 118 patients with mitral valve prolapse who underwent mitral repair from January '84 through December '96 were studied. Age ranged from 30 to 86 (mean = 59.1+/-11.8) years and 62.7% were males. An associated surgery was performed in 22% of the patients, and coronary artery bypass graft was the most frequently performed surgery (15 patients - 12.7%). In 20 (16.9%) patients other associated techniques of mitral valve repair were used and shortening of elongated chordae tendineae was the most frequent one (6 patients). RESULTS - Immediate mortality was 0.9% (one patient). Long-term rates for thromboembolism, endocarditis, re-operation and death in the late postoperative period were 0.4%, 0.4%, 1.7% and 2.2% patients/year, respectively. The actuarial curve of survival was 83.8+/-8.6% over 12 years; survival free from re-operation was 91.8+/-4.3%, free from endocarditis was 99.2+/-0.8% and free from thromboembolism was 99.2+/-0.8%. In the late postoperative period, 93.8% of the patients were in functional class 1 (NYHA), with a complete follow-up in 89.7% of the patients. CONCLUSION - Patients with mitral valve prolapse who undergo mitral valve repair using this technique have a satisfactory prognosis over 12 years.

Double-outlet right ventricle with nonrelated ventricular septal defect: surgical results using the multiple patches technique.

OBJECTIVE: Introduce a new surgical technique for biventricular correction of double-outlet right ventricle with noncommitted ventricular septal defect. METHODS: From April 1987 to February 1996, 15 patients with double-outlet right ventricle with noncommitted ventricular septal defect were operated on using a new technique for biventricular repair with multiple bovine pericardial patches to create a tunnel between the left ventricle and the aorta. Ages ranged from two months to 13 years (mean age 4.8 years). Thirteen patients had situs solitus and levocardia, one patient had situs inversus and dextrocardia, and one patient had situs solitus and dextrocardia. Construction of the tunnel began at the right atrium. The ventricular septal defect (VSD) was enlarged anteriorly, if restrictive or small, and the first patch was sutured in the infero-posterior edge of the VSD. The second, third and sometimes the fourth patches were sutured in sequence, through the right ventriculotomy, directing the tunnel to the aortic annulus. RESULTS: Overall mortality was 20%, with two early and one late death. The surviving patients were followed-up for a period ranging from ten months to nine years (mean 33 months), and all were in functional class I (NYHA). Minimal residual ventricular septal defect was observed in one patient, stenosis in two patients and moderate pulmonary insufficiency in one. There was no obstruction of the intraventricular tunnel between the LV and the aorta. CONCLUSION: Based on these data, we conclude that this technical modification for the biventricular repair of the double-outlet right ventricle with noncommitted VSD allows for the construction of a tunnel with adequate internal diameter, respecting the spatial changes between the VSD and aorta. In addition, the intraventricular bovine pericardial tunnel takes up less space, thus reducing the incidence of right ventricle outlet obstruction.

Fisics-Incor bovine pericardial bioprostheses: 15 year results.

BACKGROUND: From March 1982 to December 1995, 2,607 Fisics-Incor bovine pericardial bioprostheses were implanted in 2,259 patients. Mean age was 47.2 +/- 17.5 years, and 55% were male. Rheumatic fever was present in 1,301 (45.7%) patients. METHODS: One thousand and seventy-three aortic valve replacements, 1,085 mitral replacements, 27 tricuspid replacements, 195 mitral-aortic replacements, and 16 other combined valve replacements were carried out. Combined procedures were performed in 788 (32.9%) patients, the most frequent being tricuspid valve repair (9.2%) and coronary artery bypass grafting (7.7%). RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 8.6% (194 patients), 8.6% for the mitral group, 4.7% for the aortic group, and 12.8% for double-valve replacements. The linear rates for calcification, thromboembolism, rupture, leak and endocarditis were, respectively, 1.1%, 0.2%, 0.9%, 0.1% and 0.5% patient-year. The actuarial survival curve was 56.7 +/- 5.4% in 15 years. Survival free from endocarditis was 91.92%, survival free from thromboembolism was 95 +/- 1.7%, survival free from rupture was 43.7 +/- 9.8%, survival free from leak was 98.9 +/- 4.5%, and survival free from calcification was 48.8 +/- 7.9% in 15 years. In the late postoperative period, 1,614 (80.6%) patients were in New York Heart Association functional Class I. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the results with the Fisics-Incor bovine pericardial prostheses were satisfactory in our group of patients.

[Ischemic mitral valve insufficiency. Incidence, diagnosis and surgical treatment]. / Insuficiência valvar mitral isquêmica. Incidência, diagnóstico e tratamento cirúrgico.

PURPOSE: To study the incidence of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) and the mortality. METHODS: One-hundred-five cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with MR were reviewed. Patients were divided in two groups: group A-59 (56.2%) necropsied patients without previous surgical procedures to correlate clinical pictures with the aim to determine the cause of death; group B-46 (43.8%) patients were submitted to surgical treatment. This group was subdivided in mild, moderate and severe forms of MR, and studied comparatively the type of surgical treatment and its evolution. RESULTS: Group A-23 (39%) patients with mild forms and predominant ischemic heart disease, responsible for death; 18 (30.5%) patients without previous diagnosis, masked by myocardial failure and 18 (30.5%) with severe MR and coronary heart disease; group B-14 (30.4%) patients died at the immediate post-operatory period. Higher mortality associated to ejection fraction (EF) below 35% (47.6%; p = 0.022), severe MR (41.7%; p = 0.044) and cardiogenic shock (52.9%; p = 0.14). In 41 (89.1%), the mitral valve repair was combined to coronary artery bypass grafting operation (CABG), in 4 (8.7%) this last procedure was made without mitral repair and in the remaining patients the surgery was limited to the valve. Mitral valvuloplasty was performed in 23 (50%) patients with 3 (13%) deaths, and in 19 (42.3%) the mitral valve was replaced with 9 (47.4%) deaths. CONCLUSION: The prognosis is related to the grade of EF and to the severity of MR. In mild to moderate forms, the surgical indication is due to the associated coronary heart disease and the valvuloplasty is preferred, in this instance. In severe forms, surgical intervention must be performed as soon as possible, before cardiogenic shock appears.

[Hemorrhagic infarction due to myocardial reperfusion. Report of 4 cases]. / Infarto hemorrágico conseqüente à reperfusão miocárdica. Relato de quatro casos.

Four different clinical cases in which the myocardial reperfusion occurred after acute myocardial infarction, and was followed by significant hemorrhagic ventricular damage. We discuss some possible etiologic mechanism of the problem and present some methods of myocardial protection which are meant to lessen those negative effects of the reperfusion. We conclude setting the difficulty to determine the critical moment after which the myocardial reperfusion turns inefficient or even harmful.

[Right ventricular dysplasia associated with Ebstein type malformation of the tricuspid valve. A case report]. / Displasia ventricular direita associada à malformação "tipo Ebstein" da valva tricúspide. Relato de caso.

Right ventricular dysplasia, also named right ventricular cardiomyopathy, cardiac lipidosis and partial absence of the right ventricular myocardium, is an uncommon disease in which the myocardium is partially replaced by fat and fibrous tissue. The clinical picture is usually characterized by complex arrhythmias, causing sudden death in adolescents and young adults, and cardiac failure. In this report, an association between this disease and "Ebstein-type" tricuspid valve malformation has been diagnosed in a 22 year old female patient with cianosis and dyspnea on exertion.

[Surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot associated with an anomalous coronary vessel]. / Tratamento cirúrgico da tétrade de Fallot associada a coronária anômala.

Anomalous coronary arteries crossing the outflow tract of the right ventricle in tetralogy of Fallot have a prominent surgical importance in total correction. The unintentional section of these arteries is followed by a high mortality. In the period between 1977 and 1987, 475 patients with tetralogy of Fallot were operated on. Fourteen of these patients had anomalous coronaries crossing the right ventricle. Three of the patients were less than one year of age. Eleven patients were male. Diagnosis was performed in the operating room in 13 patients. Twelve patients had the anterior descending artery originating from the right coronary, and two presented single left coronary arteries. During the surgical procedure two patients had the anomalous coronary artery divided; in one a saphenous vein bypass graft was used and in the second and end-to-end anastomosis was performed. In the remaining 12 cases, a transverse ventriculotomy (one case), extensive dissection of the anomalous coronary artery (two cases), a palliative procedure (one case), a valved conduit between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery (one case) and total correction through the atriopulmonary approach (seven cases) were performed. No immediate mortality was observed and there was one late death. The authors suggest that, whenever anatomical conditions permit, the atriopulmonary approach should be preferred in the repair of tetralogy of Fallot associated to anomalous coronary arteries.