Mitral valve reconstruction with Carpentier ring for mitral regurgitation: experience with Chinese patients

Between December 1985 and June 1987, 38 consecutive patients with mitral regurgitation underwent mitral valve reconstruction (MVP) with Carpentier rings. There were 16 men and 22 women, ranging in age from 16 to 63 years (mean 36.4 +/- 14.4). The underlying causes were rheumatic heart disease (55%), degenerative valvular disease (42%), and congenital heart disease (3%). Thirty patients were categorized in the New York Heart Association's functional classification III or IV preoperatively. The concomitant procedures included aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 6 patients, tricuspid valve repair (TVP) in 9, and closure of atrial septal defect in one. Hospital death happened to one patient (3%). All but one patient were followed up at 31 months postoperatively (rate 98.6%). There was one late death due to myocardial failure not related to the valves. The actuarial survival rate at 31 months was 96.8%. The thromboembolic rate was 1.44% per patient-year. No reoperation or endocarditis was encountered. All 36 survivors were in functional classes I and II. Twenty-one patients underwent Doppler echocardiography 3 to 12 months after surgery and 17 (81%) showed no or mild mitral regurgitation and 4 (19%) had moderate regurgitation. We conclude that MVP with Carpentier rings is a satisfactory method with low mortality and complication rates in Chinese patients.