Current concepts of mitral valve reconstruction for mitral insufficiency

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in surgical reconstruction of the insufficient mitral valve because of reconfirmation of the limitations of existing prosthetic and bioprosthetic valves. A follow-up study, including late functional data, of 148 patients who underwent mitral valve reconstruction at our institution was combined with a review of the literature to assess the current status of mitral reconstruction. The results indicate that mitral reconstruction by Carpentier techniques is widely applicable, durable, and relatively free of complication. Freedom from late thromboembolic and anticoagulant complications is particularly notable. These factors could prove to justify earlier operative intervention in patients with mitral insufficiency before permanent myocardial damage evolves. As mitral valve reconstruction techniques become more familiar and widely used, mitral reconstruction may become the operative procedure of choice for mitral insufficiency, especially insufficiency due to degenerative disease.