Valve repair is the best surgical treatment for mitral regurgitation. In the present article we describe the results of mitral valve repair in patients with chronic mitral regurgitation treated at our center during the last eight years. The degree of correction of valve insufficiency, functional benefit, in-hospital morbidity and mortality, postoperative outcome of ventricular function, and mid...

BACKGROUND Mitral regurgitation is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity in pediatric patients with Marfan syndrome. The purpose of this study was to contribute to determining the appropriate surgical strategy for these patients. METHODS From January 1992 to May 2013, six patients with Marfan syndrome underwent surgery for mitral regurgitation in infancy or early childhood. ...

The fastest growing demographic group in Europe and America is the elderly, and significant mitral regurgitation is very prevalent in this population. At present, with mitral valve surgery in elderly individuals gaining greater acceptance worldwide, the question whether to repair or replace the valve remains controversial. Recent studies have demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and durability...

To assess the efficacy of the trans-septal approach to the mitral valve, 40 patients who underwent mitral valve surgery via this approach were compared to 37 patients who underwent surgery via the standard left atriotomy. Concomitant procedures included tricuspid annuloplasty, aortic valve replacement, closure of atrial septal defect, coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve repair. The...

BACKGROUND Valvular heart diseases and mainly rheumatic heart diseases complicate about 1% of pregnancies. During pregnancy physiological hemodynamic changes of the circulation are the main cause of mitral stenosis (MS) decompensation. Prior to introduction of percutaneous mitral balloon commissuroplasty (PTMC), surgical comissurotomy was the preferred method of treatment in patients with refra...

The results of investigation in 5 children with congenital deformities of the mitral valve region characteristic of the 'parachute mitral valve complex' were reviewed. Three patients had parachute mitral valve, i had supravalvar mitral ring, and i had both these lesions. Associated anomalies included ventricular septal defect, double outlet right ventricle, subaortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic v...

Percutaneous treatment of heart valves started 2 decades ago in patients with mitral stenosis. In such patients, a stable increase in the mitral valve area could be achieved with balloon dilatation. Complications were infrequent and the outcomes comparable to those obtained with surgery. We learned from this technique that it is possible to reach the heart valves from both the antegrade and ret...

Previously unreported echocardiographic findings are described of two cases with anterior mitral valve leaflet fenestration associated with infective endocarditis. M-mode echocardiograms demonstrated a periodic interruption in the echo tracing of the mitral valve ring area. Long axis real time two dimensional echocardiograms showed an echo defect in the body portion of the anterior mitral valve...

The genetic mucopolysaccharidosis syndromes (MPS) are autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism. Heart valve involvement in MPS is not uncommon but only a few case reports of successful cardiac surgery are available. In particular, reports of combined aortic and mitral stenosis associated with MPS type I-S are very rare. Both type I and type VI MPS are associated with significant left sid...

Although infective endocarditis is primarily treated conservatively with antimicrobial therapy, early surgical intervention is often mandatory when various complications arise. These include intractable heart failure, persistent uncontrollable infection, large mobile vegetations, peripheral embolism and prosthetic valve endocarditis. Optimal timing of surgical intervention in patients with infe...