Mitral valve surgery: when is it appropriate?

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a frequent complication of end-stage cardiomyopathy. Historically, these patients were managed either medically or with mitral valve replacement, both associated with poor outcomes. We studied 150 patients with cardiomyopathy and severe MR who were managed with mitral reconstruction. One hundred fifty patients with 4+ MR, left ventricular ejection fractions of 8%-24% (mean, 14%), and New York Heart Association class III or IV symptoms were prospectively studied. All patients underwent mitral valve repair with an undersized, flexible annuloplasty ring. There was one intraoperative death and seven 30-day mortalities. Intraoperative echocardiography revealed no residual MR in the majority of patients and mild to trivial MR in seven patients. There were 27 late deaths; three of these patients had progression of the disease and underwent transplantation. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year actuarial survival rates are 82%, 71%, and 57%, respectively. New York Heart Association class has improved for all patients, from a preoperative mean of 3.2+/-0.2 to 1.8+/-0.4 postoperatively. At 24-month follow-up, all patients showed improvement in ejection fraction, cardiac output, and end-diastolic volumes, along with a reduction in the sphericity index and regurgitant volume. Mitral valve repair with an undersized, flexible annuloplasty ring is a safe and effective approach to correction of MR, even in cardiomyopathy patients. All observed changes contribute to reverse remodeling and the restoration of the normal left ventricular geometric relationship. Mitral reconstruction provides a new first-line management strategy for patients with MR and end-stage heart failure.