Rescue mitral valve repair one hour after birth

Congenital mitral regurgitation is rare and usually part of complex cardiac anomalies. When needed, early surgery represents a great challenge. In small babies avoiding valve replacement is desirable, but valve repair may be extremely complex. We describe an isolated congenital mitral regurgitation, successfully treated with conservative surgery about 1 h after birth. In a 30-year-old pregnant woman, fetal echocardiography revealed mitral annular dilatation with massive regurgitation, functional aortic atresia and a very small patent foramen ovale. Realizing that the baby had a poor chance of survival after birth, a cesarean section was scheduled at 37 weeks of pregnancy. The procedure was performed in the operating room next to the cardiac surgery theatre, where the newborn was urgently transferred. After an unsuccessful attempt of percutaneous atrial septostomy, a rescue surgical mitral repair was performed. To avoid mitral replacement, moderate residual regurgitation was accepted. Postoperative hospital stay was 57 days and the baby was discharged in good clinical condition. Residual mitral regurgitation was moderate at discharge and decreased thereafter. During a five-year follow-up the child remained asymptomatic with normal growth. Preserved ventricular function and progressive volume reduction of left heart chambers were observed.