Objective: This study evaluated the effects of a new method of mitral valve replacement on left ventricular (LV) remodeling and heart failure functional class.
Methods: Eight patients (6 men) with severe mitral regurgitation from end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy underwent surgery. Five patients were in functional class (FC) IV, 2 were in FC III and 1 was in FC III/IV. Age ranged from 33 to 63 years. Both the anterior and posterior leaflets of the mitral valve were divided into hemileaflets. The resultant 4 pedicles were displaced under traction toward the left atrium and anchored between the mitral annulus and an implanted valvular prosthesis. The beating heart facilitated ideal chordae tendineae positioning.
Results: All patients survived and were discharged from the hospital. After a mean follow-up period of 6.5 months (1-12 m), 5 patients were in FC I; 2 in FC I/II; and 1 in FC II. The preoperative ejection fraction ranged from 19% to 30% (mean: 25.7 +/- 3.4 %), and the postoperative ejection fraction ranged from 21% to 40% (mean: 31.1 +/- 5.8%). Doppler echocardiography showed evidence of LV remodeling in 4 patients, including lateral wall changes and a tendency of the LV cavity to return to its elliptical shape.
Conclusion: This technique of mitral valve replacement, involving new positioning of the chordae tendineae, allowed LV remodeling and improvement in FC during this brief follow-up period.