Mitral valve repair as an alternative treatment for heart failure patients

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospitalization worldwide. Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a known complication of end-stage cardiomyopathy and is associated with a poor prognosis. Historically, these patients were managed medically and frequently with mitral valve replacement, both of which have unfavorable long-term outcomes. Over a 10-year period, we studied 167 patients with cardiomyopathy and severe MR who underwent mitral valve repair. These patients with 4+ MR, a mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 14+/-6 and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV congestive heart failure (CHF) were prospectively studied. All patients underwent mitral valve repair with an undersized annuloplasty ring. There was one intra-operative death and eight 30-day mortalities. Intra-operative echocardiography revealed no MR in most patients and trivial to mild MR in seven patients. There were 26 late deaths; two of these patients had progression of CHF and underwent transplantation. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year actuarial survival rates were 82%, 71%, and 52%, respectively. NYHA class was improved for all patients from a pre-operative mean of 3.2+/-0.2 to 1.8+/-0.4 postoperatively. At 24-month follow-up, all patients demonstrated improvement in LVEF, cardiac output, and end-diastolic volume, with a reduction in sphericity index and regurgitant volume. Mitral valve repair utilizing an undersized annuloplasty ring is safe and effectively corrects MR in cardiomyopathic patients. All of the observed changes contribute to reverse remodeling and restoration of the normal LV geometric relationship. Mitral valve repair offers a new strategy for patients with MR and end-stage cardiomyopathy.