Long-term results of mitral valve repair in active endocarditis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Cardiac Valve Repair

Background:

• Long-term results of mitral valve repair in active endocarditis remain largely unknown.
• Previous studies reported feasibility but lacked long-term outcome data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of mitral valve repair for active endocarditis.
• To assess survival, reoperation rates, and functional status post-repair.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 37 patients undergoing mitral valve repair with the Carpentier technique for active endocarditis (1989-1994).
• Detailed analysis of repair techniques, associated procedures, early complications, and long-term outcomes.
• Evaluation included survival, mitral valve reoperation, functional status (NYHA class), and echocardiographic assessment of mitral regurgitation.

Main Results:

• The 10-year survival rate was 80%, with 91% freedom from mitral valve reoperation.
• 96% of patients were in good functional status (NYHA class I-II) at 10 years.
• 92% had no or trivial mitral regurgitation on echocardiography; recurrence of endocarditis was low (3%).

Conclusions:

• Mitral valve repair using Carpentier techniques in active endocarditis yields very good long-term results.
• The procedure is associated with a low rate of endocarditis recurrence and reoperation.
• This approach offers a durable solution for patients with active endocarditis requiring mitral valve intervention.