A new surgical approach for treating dilated cardiomyopathy with mitral regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the early outcome of mitral valve prostheses implantation and left ventricular remodeling in 23 patients with end-stage cardiomyopathy and secondary mitral regurgitation (NYHA class III and IV). METHODS Mitral valvular prosthesis implantation with preservation of papillary muscles and chordae tendinae, and plasty of anteriun cuspid for remodeling of the left ventricle. RESULTS The surgery was performed in 23 patients, preoperative ejection fraction (echocardiography) varied from 13% to 44% (median: 30%). In 13 patients associated procedures were performed: myocardial revascularization (9), left ventricle plicature repair (3) and aortic prosthesis implantation (1). Early deaths (2) occurred on the 4th PO day (cardiogenic shock) and on the 20th PO day (upper gastrointestinal bleeding), and a late death in the second month PO (ventricular arrhythmia). Improvement occurred in NYHA class in 82. 6% of the patients (P<0.0001), with a survival rate of 86.9% (mean of 8.9 months of follow-up). CONCLUSION This technique offers a promising therapeutic alternative for the treatment of patients in refractory heart failure with cardiomyopathy and secondary mitral regurgitation.