European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Mar 2000
Comparative StudyMitral-valve repair without annuloplasty rings: results after repair of anterior leaflet versus posterior-leaflet defects using polytetrafluoroethylene sutures for chordal replacement.
Defects of the anterior mitral leaflet (AML), including ruptured chordae, are often regarded as difficult or even impossible to repair. Chordal replacement may also be an option in extensive disease of the posterior mitral leaflet (PML). It has not yet been clearly defined whether the repair of either mitral leaflet using chordal-replacement techniques is as safe as the standard repair of the mitral valve (MV) including quadrangular resection and ring reduction alone. ⋯ We were unable to find statistically significant differences concerning mortality, freedom from recurrent MR and MV reoperation between the AML and PML groups. Extensive prolapse or chordal pathology of the anterior and PML can be corrected by chordal replacement. Using these techniques, stable repair can be achieved in more than 90% of patients at mid-term follow-up. Long-term observations are necessary to confirm the durability of this type of MV repair.