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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Transplantation of Pulmonary Valve Using a Mouse Model of Heterotopic Heart Transplantation
Published on: July 23, 2014
[Mitral valve replacement in large hearts (author's transl)]
Insights
Preoperative heart size can indicate limits for mitral valve replacement surgery. Larger heart volumes (>1700 ml) in patients with mitral valve defects were associated with higher mortality rates post-operation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Abstract:
Of 61 patients with mitral valve defects operated on, 9 had a heart with an external volume of more than 1700 ml. Five of these patients died, four are still alive today. Three patients from the group with an external heart volume between 1247 ml and 1700 ml died, and in the group of patients with an external heart volume of less than 1247 ml no patient has died as yet. Under certain circumstances, the preoperative size of the heart can be a measure with which the limits of surgical mitral valve replacement can be defined.
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