Associations of increased arterial stiffness with left ventricular ejection performance and right ventricular systolic pressure in mitral regurgitation before and after surgery: Wave intensity analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effect of increased arterial stiffness on mitral regurgitation (MR) is not clear. Using wave intensity (WI) analysis, which is useful for analyzing ventriculo-arterial interaction, we aimed to elucidate associations of increased arterial stiffness with left ventricular (LV) ejection performance and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) in MR. METHODS AND RESULTS: We noninvasively measured carotid arterial WI and stiffness parameter (ß) in 98 patients with non-ischemic chronic MR before and after surgery, and 98 age-and-gender matched healthy subjects by ultrasonography. WI is defined as WI = (dP/dt)(dU/dt) [P: blood pressure, U: velocity, t: time]. The peak value of WI (W1) increases with LV peak dP/dt. The temporal WI index (Q-W1)st, which is the standardized interval between the Q wave of the ECG and W1, is a surrogate for preejection period. Ejection fraction (EF), left atrial volume index (LAVI), effective regurgitant orifice area (ERO), RVSP, and other echocardiographic data were also obtained. W1 was enhanced in the MR group before surgery compared with the normal group (10.7 ± 5.7 vs 8.5 ± 3.6 × 103 mmHg m/s3, p < 0.05). However, the results of two-way ANOVA showed this enhancement of W1 was observed only in the subgroup of MR before surgery with lower arterial stiffness (ß < 13, p< 0.0001). ERO, ß and LAVI were predictor variables before surgery to determine RVSP. EF and (Q-W1)st before surgery were predictor variables for EF after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In the MR group before surgery, increased arterial stiffness suppresses compensatory enhancement of W1, and increases RVSP. Prolonged (Q-W1)st has the potential for predicting low EF after surgery.

Mitral valve repair for anterior leaflet prolapse with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures.

BACKGROUND: This study was a long-term Doppler echocardiographic assessment of mitral valve repair for anterior mitral leaflet prolapse using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures. METHODS: Between April 1992 and December 2003, we performed mitral valve repair using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures in 204 patients (mean age, 54.6 years) with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) having anterior mitral leaflet prolapse. The cause of valve disease was degenerative in 181 patients (88.7%). Postoperative serial transthoracic echocardiographic studies were performed in all hospital survivors. Residual MR flow detected by color Doppler echocardiography was classified according to the maximum regurgitant jet area. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality of 204 patients was 1.4% (3 deaths). There were 12 late deaths and 14 reoperations in this series. Kaplan-Meier survival and freedom from reoperation at 12 years were 84.6% +/- 4.0% and 89.9% +/- 2.9%, respectively. Postoperative transthoracic echocardiographic assessment after discharge (mean follow-up, 4.2 +/- 3.0 years) showed less than mild regurgitation (maximum regurgitant jet area < 4.0 cm2) in 80.9% of the patients. Overall, freedom from severe MR (maximum regurgitant jet area > or = 7.0 cm2) estimates at 12 years were 88.1% +/- 3.1%. Freedom from severe MR at 12 years for 114 patients with no MR (maximum regurgitant jet area = 0 cm2) on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and 77 patients with MR was 95.3% +/- 2.1% and 82.9% +/- 5.1%, respectively (p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Twelve-year echocardiographic follow-up demonstrates good long-term results of chordal replacement with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures for anterior mitral leaflet prolapse. To avoid recurrence of regurgitation, a significantly high level of competence of the valve is essential in the repair of anterior mitral leaflet prolapse.

Mechanism of hemolysis after mitral valve repair and new surgical management: prosthetic annuloplasty ring covered with autologous pericardium.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY: Hemolysis after mitral valve repair is a rare occurrence, but is one of the complications leading to reoperation. Since 1999, mitral valve repair at the authors' institution has been performed using a prosthetic annuloplasty ring covered with autologous pericardium to prevent this complication. The study aims were to investigate the mechanism of hemolysis after mitral valve repair and to describe the surgical management of this complication. METHODS: This retrospective study comprised 204 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve repair using an annuloplasty ring between October 1991 and April 2000 at the authors' institution. Patients were allocated to the non-covered ring group (n = 174) and the covered ring group (n = 30), and compared for the degree of mitral regurgitation (MR), serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and occurrence of hemolysis. The degree and flow pattern of MR, and patient prognoses were described for hemolytic patients. RESULTS: Postoperative MR and serum LDH were not significantly high in either group. A total of seven patients presented with hemolysis; postoperative echocardiography revealed MR to be mild in two patients, moderate in three and severe in two. Collision of the regurgitant jet into the artificial ring was evident in all seven patients. A beta-blocker proved effective in treating hemolysis in three patients, mitral re-repair was performed in three, and a prosthetic mitral valve was inserted in one patient. None of the patients in the covered ring group presented with hemolysis. CONCLUSION: The major cause of hemolysis after mitral repair was collision of the regurgitant jet into the artificial ring. The simple technique used herein prevented contact of the regurgitant jet with the rough surface of the ring, and may in turn have prevented hemolysis. In selected patients, hemolysis was improved by beta-blocker administration.

Pseudoaneurysm of the saphenous vein graft related to artificial rubber pericardium--a case report.

Pseudoaneurysm is an unusual complication of coronary artery bypass grafting. Such aneurysms are caused by technical surgical failures, or inflammation of the sternum and mediastinum following sternotomy observed as an early or mid-term complication of cardiac surgery. This case was an 80-year-old man with a piece of artificial rubber pericardium used for complete closure of the pericardium. A large pseudoaneurysm developed in the body of the saphenous vein graft 15 years after surgery. The old rubber synthetic pericardium was severely degenerative, which induced inflammation and disrupted the saphenous vein graft.

Etiology of aortic valve disease and recent changes in Japan:a study of 600 valve replacement cases.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies on the etiology of aortic valve disease in the US showed a decrease in rheumatic valve disease and an increase in age-related degenerative disease. The purpose of this study was to describe the etiology of aortic valve disease and its temporal changes in Japan, based on a large number of cases. METHODS: The medical charts of all patients who underwent aortic valve replacement at our institute between 1977 and 1999 were reviewed. Among the 600 patients analyzed, 213 (36%) had pure aortic stenosis, 265 (44%) had pure aortic regurgitation, and 122 (20%) had combined stenosis and regurgitation. RESULTS: The causes were rheumatic change (49%), degenerative change (19%), bicuspid valves (18%), infective endocarditis (5%) and others (9%). Rheumatic disease continued to be the most common cause of aortic stenosis, but its frequency decreased from 100% in 1977-1979 to 37% in 1995-1999. In contrast, the frequency of degenerative change among stenotic valves increased recently from 11% in 1990-1994 to 30% in 1995-1999. Similarly, rheumatic disease remained to be the leading cause of aortic regurgitation, with a decline in frequency from 46% in 1985-1989 to 27% in 1995-1999. The percentage of degenerative change among regurgitant valves did not change appreciably. CONCLUSIONS: There was a shift in the causes of aortic valve disease, with a decrease in rheumatic disease and an increase in degenerative disease. This trend was similar to that observed in the US. These findings suggest the increasing importance of aortic valve disease due to degenerative change.

Cardiac pseudoaneurysm coupled with a rupture of the papillary muscle complicating myocardial infarction.

As a complication of myocardial infarction, dual rupture of the left ventricular myocardium and the papillary muscle is a rare condition. In such a case, the heart is predisposed to reduced output because of unloading of the ventricle during systole, resulting in the patient being in danger of deteriorating into a severe state or dying suddenly from cardiogenic shock. We report a rescued case of a 65-year-old woman, who had cardiogenic shock due to left ventricular pseudoaneurysm, coupled with partial rupture of the posteromedial papillary muscle three weeks after posterior myocardial infarction. Emergent left ventriculography revealed a large aneurysmal cavity and regurgitation towards the left atrium. The patient underwent emergent aneurysmectomy with mitral valve replacement.