Leaflet folding plasty for mitral valve repair: technical application and early outcome

Leaflet folding plasty was introduced for avoiding systolic anterior motion and coronary artery injury after mitral valve repair. We report the application and early outcome of this technique for mitral valve regurgitation.

From January 1997 to January 2004, 16 patients with mitral valve regurgitation were operated on using leaflet folding plasty. The group comprised 9 men and 7 women, with a mean age of 61.6 years. There were 15 patients with degenerative and 1 with ischemic mitral valve disease. The causes of mitral regurgitation were posterior mitral leaflet prolapse in 11 patients and commissural prolapse in 5 patients.

Mitral valve reconstruction could be performed in all patients. There were no perioperative deaths. Postoperative mitral regurgitation fell to 0.13+/-0.52 compared with 3.6+/-0.51 preoperatively. Systolic anterior leaflet motion was not observed in any patients after the procedure. The mean follow-up period was 22 months. There were no late deaths and reoperation was not required during follow-up.

Early outcome of leaflet folding plasty for mitral valve repair was satisfactory. This technique may have advantages to accomplish mitral valve repair safely in patients with mitral regurgitation due to posterior or commissural prolapse.