Mitral valve replacement with maintenance of mitral annulopapillary muscle continuity in patients with mitral stenosis.

Postoperative left ventricular performance was evaluated in patients with mitral stenosis who underwent mitral valve replacement with maintenance of the continuity of the mitral anulus and papillary muscles. Mitral valve replacement with preservation of autologous chordae tendineae (n = 7) or their replacement with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures (n = 14) was performed in 21 patients with mitral stenosis. Hemodynamic parameters were compared with those of 28 patients who underwent conventional mitral valve replacement and 27 patients who underwent open mitral valve commissurotomy. No deaths occurred in the early or late follow-up period. All hemodynamic parameters were improved after the operation, and no significant differences were detected among the three groups with regard to postoperative cardiac index or mitral valve area. No significant differences were observed in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, end-systolic volume index, or contractility index, but the postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction in the chordal preservation and open commissurotomy groups was greater than that in the group having conventional mitral valve replacement. Postoperative regional shortening was greatest at the diaphragmatic portion in the chordal preservation group and at the long axis in the open commissurotomy group. In the mid-term postoperative period, although no differences were noted among the three groups in echocardiographic data or global ejection fraction measured by multigated equilibrium radionuclide angiography, the regional shortening at the anterolateral portion of the left ventricle in the chordal preservation and commissurotomy groups was greater than that in the group having conventional mitral valve replacement. Postoperative radionuclide angiography during exercise failed to demonstrate any difference between the ejection fraction in the chordal preservation group and that in the group having conventional mitral valve replacement.

Suspension of the papillary muscles during valve replacement for mitral stenosis.

Of 94 patients who underwent intravalvular mitral valve replacement with CarboMedics bileaflet mechanical prosthesis, 10 presented with heavily calcified stenotic valves. After total excision of the mitral valve in these patients, both papillary muscles were reconnected to the annulus with Goretex sutures. Repeat cardiac catheterization was completed in six of these 10 patients two to 24 months after surgery. Global and segmental left ventricular function was estimated using the MEDIS program (Thorax Centrum, Rotterdam) for analysis of left ventricular function. In five of the six patients re-examined, the ejection fraction was improved, the global ejection fraction increasing from 54% +/- 6% to 63% +/- 10%. We conclude, even though the number of followed patients is extremely small, that mitral valve replacement with suspension of the papillary muscles is surgically feasible and has beneficial effects on the contractility of the left ventricle in patients with mitral stenosis.

Long-term outcome after mitral valve replacement with preservation of continuity between the mitral annulus and the papillary muscle in patients with mitral stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The effect on left ventricular performance of mitral valve replacement (MVR) with preservation of continuity between the mitral annulus and papillary muscle was studied in patients with mitral stenosis (MS). METHODS: Forty patients with MS who underwent MVR between 1986 and 1995 and had long-term echocardiographic follow up were studied retrospectively. Eighteen patients had conventional MVR (CMVR group), and 22 (PMVR group) had either preservation of autologous chordae tendineae (n = 6) or replacement of the chordae with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures (n = 16). RESULTS: Preoperatively, there were no significant differences between the two groups in age, body surface area, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), fractional shortening (FS) or ejection fraction (EF). At 3.1-6.5 years after surgery, periodic echocardiography showed significant differences (p <0.05) in LVESD (35.8 versus 31.6 mm, respectively, in the CMVR and PMVR groups) and FS (31.8% versus 38.1%). At 6.6-9.7 years postoperatively, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in FS, but LVESD was significantly greater in the CMVR group than in the PMVR group (37.3 versus 31.5 mm). CONCLUSION: In the long term, MVR with preservation of continuity between the mitral annulus and papillary muscle improves systolic left ventricular performance in patients with MS.

Respiratory muscle strength in rheumatic mitral stenosis improves after balloon valvotomy.

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is a common symptom in a patient with valvular heart disease. The mechanism underlying this disease is still uncertain. Respiratory muscle weakness has been proposed to be one of the mechanisms underlying dyspnea in heart failure, but this has not been adequately studied in valvular heart disease. METHODS: We prospectively studied 20 patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis who were candidates for percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy. Respiratory muscle strength assessment by maximal static inspiratory mouth pressure and maximal static expiratory mouth pressure was done on all patients at baseline and at 1 week after the procedure. The severity of dyspnea in study participants was also studied by the 6-min walk test and visual analog scale. RESULTS: Balloon valvotomy was followed by a significant improvement in the 6-min walking distance (from 219 +/- 30.15 to 237.55 +/- 32.25 m, P < 0.001), visual analog scale as a measure of dyspnea (from 60.95 +/- 12.16 to 44.4 +/- 13.71 mm, P < 0.001), inspiratory muscle strength (from 51.9 +/- 10.28 to 56.55 +/- 11.87 cmH2O, P < 0.001) and expiratory muscle strength (from 62.15 +/- 19.68 to 67.20 +/- 21.91 cmH2O, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Improvement in dyspnea in mitral stenosis after balloon valvotomy is associated with significant improvement in respiratory muscle strength.

[Improvement in inspiratory muscle function in patients with mitral stenosis after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty. Preliminary communication]. / Mejoría de la función muscular inspiratoria en pacientes con estenosis mitral cerrada después de valvuloplastia mitral percutánea; comunicación preliminar.

BACKGROUND: It has been proved that there is an inspiratory muscle dysfunction in mitral stenosis; Although its causes still remain unknown. AIM: To evaluate the effect of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) on inspiratory muscle performance (IMP) in patients with mitral stenosis (mitral area < 1.5 cm2). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied IMP in 8 patients (35 +/- 10 years) before and 3 months after successful PMV. Inspiratory muscle strength was studied by measuring maximal statistical inspiratory mouth pressure (MIP). Endurance was evaluated using a two minute incremental threshold loading test in order to obtain the maximal sustainable inspiratory pressure (SIP), with the maximal sustainable load (MSL) the patients could sustain for 2 minutes. RESULTS: Mitral valvuloplasty increased mean cardiac index from 3.1 +/- 0.3 to 4.15 +/- 0.3 l/min/m2 (p < 0.01), and significantly decreased mean pulmonary and capillary pressures. The MIP value(118 +/- 6 cmH2O), similar to that of normal group, increased to 137 +/- 7 cmH2O (p < 0.01). SIP and maximal sustainable load were 52 +/- 3 cmH2O and 294 +/- 29 g respectively, lower than normal subjects (p < 0.05). They increased after PMV to 80 +/- 3 cmH2O and 463 +/- 26 g respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PMV improved inspiratory muscle function in patients with severe mitral stenosis, probably secondary to a decrease work of breath and improvement of ventricular function.

[Volume, flow and respiratory muscle strength in mitral stenosis]. / Volumenes, flujos y fuerza muscular respiratoria en estenosis mitral cerrada.

Pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength was assessed in 20 patients with mitral stenosis uncomplicated by other illness. Pulmonary function was evaluated by spirometry, flow-volume curves, functional residual capacity (FRC) and total lung capacity (TLC). Respiratory muscle strength was evaluated by measurement of maximal static inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure (PIM, PEM cmH2O) at FRC and TLC respectively. Spirometric, FRC and TLC average values were normal. The maximal expiratory flow rate at 50 and 25% of vital capacity were decreased to 49.5 and 38.3% from predicted values. The values of PIM and PEM in patients (-93 +/- 17; 128 +/- 32 cmH2O, respectively) were similar to those of 12 normal subjects studied at comparable lung volume. Our results were similar to previous reports. There was no evidence of decreased respiratory muscle force, probably because the patients nutritional status and cardiac output were normal.

Comparison of single rubber-nylon balloon and double polyethylene balloon valvuloplasty in 94 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

To compare the single rubber-nylon balloon and double polyethylene balloon techniques, 94 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis underwent percutaneous transseptal balloon mitral valvuloplasty between November 1985 and September 1988. The single balloon technique was used in 73 patients and the double balloon technique was used in 21. The two groups were similar in age, weight, severity of the lesion, and cardiac functional status. The mean mitral valve diastolic gradient decreased from 17.9 +/- 6.5 to 2.9 +/- 3.1 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), 18.5 +/- 6.7 to 5.8 +/- 3.1 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), and 18.1 +/- 5.9 to 3.2 +/- 3.7 mm Hg (p less than 0.001) in the single balloon group, double balloon group, and the entire series, respectively. The final mitral diastolic gradient in the single balloon group was lower than in the double balloon group (p less than 0.05). Complications in the single balloon group were lower than in the double balloon group. Additional advantages of single over double balloon technique were easier maneuverability and higher success rate. The initial and long-term follow-up results confirmed the earlier impressions that percutaneous transseptal balloon mitral valvuloplasty is an effective and safe nonsurgical method of treatment for rheumatic mitral stenosis, and the single rubber-nylon balloon technique is at least as effective as, if not superior to, the double polyethylene balloon technique.

Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty with a single rubber-nylon balloon (Inoue balloon): long-term results in 71 patients.

The first 71 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis who successfully underwent single rubber-nylon balloon (Inoue balloon) percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) from November 1985 to August 1988 had a mean follow-up period of 27.1 +/- 11.6 months (range, 14 to 48 months). Functional status before PMV was New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class IV in two, class III in 38, and class II in 31. Pre and post PMV and follow-up mean diastolic mitral gradient by catheter method was 17.5 +/- 6.9, 2.7 +/- 3.5, and 3.3 +/- 3.4 mm Hg (p less than 0.001 pre versus post PMV and pre PMV versus follow-up; and p greater than 0.005 post PMV versus follow-up). By Doppler method the mean diastolic gradient was 17.4 +/- 5.5, 8.5 +/- 4.7, and 9.2 +/- 4.1 mm Hg, respectively (p less than 0.001 pre versus post PMV and pre PMV versus follow-up; and p greater than 0.05 post PMV versus follow-up). Mitral valve area was 1.12 +/- 0.26, 2.04 +/- 0.41, and 1.92 +/- 0.45 cm2, respectively (p greater than 0.001 pre versus post PMV and pre PMV versus follow-up; and p less than 0.05 post PMV versus follow-up). The phonocardiographic and vectorcardiographic studies and cardiopulmonary exercise testing showed significant improvement after PMV and at follow-up. At follow-up the NYHA functional class was 1 in 57 patients, class II in 13, and class III in one patient with severe mitral valve calcification and subvalvular fusion, in whom restenosis occurred 18 months after PMV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)