Assessment of Mitral Valve Repair With Exercise Echocardiography: Artificial Chordae vs Leaflet Resection

Mitral valve (MV) repair with artificial chordae (AC) or leaflet resection (LR) is associated with good hemodynamics at rest. The aim of this study was to compare these techniques in terms of exercise capacity and echocardiographic parameters of hemodynamics at rest and peak exercise. We conducted a study in 2015 of 56 patients, who had undergone surgery for degenerative posterior mitral leaflet prolapse between 2005 and 2014 using either AC (n = 24) or LR (n = 32). Clinical data were collected, exercise capacity was measured, and resting echocardiography and peak exercise echocardiography were performed. No significant differences were detected among groups regarding exercise duration or peak exercise workload measured in Watts (W) (AC: 136 ± 43 W and LR: 131 ± 40 W; P = 0.65). The mean mitral gradient at rest was 3.0 ± 1.3 mm Hg in the AC group and 3.0 ± 1.0 mm Hg in the LR group (P = 0.90). The mean MV gradients at peak exercise did not differ significantly between groups (AC: 8.3 ± 3.4 and LR: 11.3 ± 8.7; P = 0.19). Four patients (17%) in the AC group and 1 (3%) in the LR group had systolic anterior motion, P = 0.15. We conclude that both methods of posterior MV leaflet repair were associated with good hemodynamics at rest and peak exercise. The groups had comparable exercise capacity. MV pressure gradients at rest and peak exercise were similar in both groups.