[Reoperation for valvular heart diseases]

To elucidate the limitation of mitral valve reconstruction, 53 mitral disease patients (Mitral stenosis: 29, Mitral regurgitation: 24) undergoing reoperation late after valve reconstruction were studied, taking account of valvular lesions at initial operation. Reoperation rate after open mitral commissurotomy for mitral stenosis was higher in the patients with valvular regurgitation at initial operation than in those with severe subvalvular lesions or calcified valve. Reoperation rate for mitral regurgitation after mitral valvuloplasty was higher in the patients with stenotic fibrous degeneration or dilated annulus at initial operation than in those with torn chorda. Thus, these findings suggest that combined lesion of stenosis and regurgitation at initial operation may affect the reoperation rate in patients undergoing mitral valve reconstruction for either mitral stenosis or mitral regurgitation. Different approaches to the mitral valve through the left atrium and various techniques of the atriotomy have been practiced according to the need for a particular patients. The left atrium and the mitral valve can be exposed through median sternotomy followed by biatrial atriotomy or transplant approach. A correct approach and good exposure plays a key role in the success of redo surgical procedure for mitral valve disease.