Valve Repair Surgery Research Articles

Personalized risk prediction of mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure in patients undergoing mitral valve repair surgery

Personalized risk prediction of mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure in patients undergoing mitral valve repair surgery

Establishment and validation of a prediction model for the outcome of rheumatic mitral valve repair surgery based on transthoracic echocardiography

Abstract Background The outcome of mitral valve repair over replacement in degenerative diseases has been recognized, but the patient selection of mitral valve repair in rheumatic diseases are still controversial. At present, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluation methods for rheumatic mitral valve disease, which cannot guide the selection of patients before surgery. Purpose The aim of this study was to establish a comprehensive evaluation method and innovative indicators for rheumatic mitral valve disease using transthoracic echocardiography, and to establish a model for predicting the outcome of rheumatic mitral valve repair. Methods This prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study included 167 patients who underwent rheumatic mitral valve surgery in 4 centers from 2022 to 2023. Each enrolled patient underwent a comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography evaluation and measured 94 ultrasound indicators, mainly covering leaflets, annulus, subvalvular apparatus, and atrial and ventricular function. The main endpoint event was the failure of mitral valve repair (including switching to replacement after repair, and moderate to severe stenosis or regurgitation during follow-up after repair). Patients were randomly assigned to the modeling and validation groups at a ratio of 7:3. In the modeling group, LASSO regression was used for variable selection, and logistic regression was used for modeling. A nomogram was drawn and a webpage rating calculator was created. In the validation group, model comparisons were conducted using the C-statistic and Net Reclassification Index (NRI). Results 112 patients (67.1%) underwent mitral valve repair with satisfactory results, 47 patients (28.1%) ultimately underwent mitral valve replacement, and 8 patients (4.8%) found moderate to severe mitral stenosis or regurgitation during follow-up after repair. Three indicators, including mitral valve orifice area, leaflet calcification score, and anterior leaflet-annulus angle, were selected through LASSO regression. No collinearity was found between the three indicators, and they were ultimately included in the logistic regression model. The C statistics in the modeling group and validation group were 0.846 and 0.958, respectively, indicating that the constructed model has satisfactory predictive ability. Compared to the Wilkins score, the proportion of correctly classified items increased by 19.8%, significantly better than the Wilkins score. Finally, a nomogram was drawn based on the model, and a web rating calculator was created to guide clinical decision-making. Conclusion This study explored a comprehensive evaluation method and innovative indicators for rheumatic mitral valve disease by transthoracic echocardiography, established and validated a model for predicting the outcome of repair surgery, and had certain guiding significance for doctors to choose suitable patients for rheumatic mitral valve repair.Validation of the predictive modelNomogram

Surgical outcomes of complete atrioventricular septal defect repair in children at the Cardiovascular Center, E Hospital

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of complete atrioventricular septal defect repair in children at the Cardiovascular Center, E Hospital Methods: An observation study was conducted on 45 patients ≤15 years old diagnosed and surgically treated for complete atrioventricular septal defect at E Hospital from January 2017 to May 2024. Results: Among a total of 45 participants, the mortality and rate of terminal discharge was 6,7% (3 patients), with one patient (2,2%) requiring a second surgery to repair the mitral valve. The most common complications were infections (62.2%) and low cardiac output syndrome (22.2%), with pacemaker implantation in 1 patient (2,2%). Postoperative echocardiography showed residual ventricular septal defect in 45.2% of patients. After 3-6 months of follow-up, 36 patients were evaluated. Among them, 2 patients required a second surgery for mitral valve repair and 4 patients died or were terminal discharged due to severe respiratory failure or pneumonia. The residual ventricular septal defect rate decreased to 8.3%. Analysis showed that patients who died or terminal discharged had significantly longer mechanical ventilation post-surgery time, intensive care time, higher VIS in the first 24 hours, presence of low cardiac output syndrome, acute kidney failure and use of peritoneal dialysis during post-operative care compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The estimated survival rates at 6, 12, and 36 months were 88.9%, 86.7%, and 84.4% respectively, with a mortality rate of 0.51/100 patient-years, showing no significant difference in outcomes between patients aged ≤6 months and those older than 6 months (p=0.09). Conclusion: Complete atrioventricular septal defect repair at E Hospital shows promising results with low mortality rate. However, the rates of complications and residual lesions remain high, requiring active post-operative monitoring and management.

Differential hypoxemia during peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass.

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) for mitral valve repair often uses cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) through peripheral femoro-femoral cannulation. A rare complication of differential hypoxemia can cause upper body hypoxia. A 38-year-old man with Barlow Syndrome underwent MICS mitral valve repair with peripheral CPB. During the procedure, his right upper limb SpO2 dropped to 65% due to dislodgement of the venous cannula from the superior vena cava (SVC), causing inadequate right heart venous drainage, leading to differential hypoxemia. Repositioning the venous cannula to the SVC restored SpO2 to 100%, allowing the surgery to proceed without complications. Differential hypoxemia happens when deoxygenated blood from the left ventricle mixes with oxygenated CPB blood. A literature review found only one previous case of this complication on peripheral CPB for MICS. Unlike our case, Kanda et al. monitored cerebral hypoxia, underscoring the importance of cerebral oxygenation monitoring in future MICS procedures due to higher stroke risk compared to conventional sternotomy. We recommend cerebral oxygenation monitoring in future MICS to prevent neurological complications, and highlight the need for effective team communication in the cardiac operating theatre.

Clinical implications of different methods to assess left atrial remodeling: A comparative study between echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for left atrial volume index quantification

BackgroundLeft atrial volume index (LAVI) serves as a crucial marker for assessing left atrial (LA) remodeling, particularly in patients with mitral valve regurgitation (MR). Recent guidelines recommend a LAVI exceeding 60 mL/m2 as Class IIa recommendation for mitral valve repair surgery in asymptomatic MR patients with preserved left ventricular function. Traditionally, echocardiography is the standard for assessing LAVI in MR patients. However, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is increasingly recognized for its more precise measurements of cardiac dimensions and volumes. But still, literature remains scarce on comparing the efficacy of both modalities in assessing LAVI measurements. MethodsThis retrospective study included 168 MR patients undergoing both echocardiography and CMR assessments within a six-month period. LAVI measurements were compared using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman plots. Patients were stratified based on MR grades, and clinical implications were assessed. ResultsMean LAVI differed significantly between echocardiography and CMR (47.1 ± 20.8 mL/m2 versus 70 ± 20.3 mL/m2, p < 0.001, respectively). CMR consistently yielded higher LAVI measurements compared to echocardiography, with a mean difference of approximately 20 mL/m2. CMR measurements resulted in an increased incidence of patients meeting the class IIa LAVI criterion (LAVI >60 mL/m2) by 37%. Variations in LAVI did not differ across MR grades. ConclusionEchocardiography systematically underestimates LAVI compared to CMR in MR patients. While current guidelines rely on echocardiography, CMR's precision suggests the need for CMR-specific LAVI cutoff values to guide clinical management effectively. Establishing such values could refine patient stratification and timing of surgery, potentially improving clinical outcomes for MR patients.

Comparison of preoperative aortic valve imaging techniques for patients with aortic insufficiency undergoing aortic valve repair surgery

ObjectiveTo report the accuracy of preoperative 4-dimensinal cardiac computed tomography angiogram (CTA), real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and intraoperative techniques in aortic valve (AV) measurement and phenotype determination in patients undergoing surgery for aortic insufficiency and/or root aneurysm. MethodsThis is a prospective, observational study of preoperative AV imaging for AV repair surgery. Twenty-two patients were accrued over 12 months. Preoperative TEE and CTA were obtained and measurements provided by dedicated imaging cardiologists. Intraoperative measurements were obtained from the arrested heart and reported by the surgeon before repair. Intraoperative assessment was considered the gold standard of height measurements, with CTA being the standard assessment for commissural orientation. Correlation coefficients were used to describe agreement of measurements. ResultsBaseline characteristics and assessment of phenotype and measurement of commissural orientation, geometric height and commissural heights are reported. TEE (κ = 0.833; P < .01) and CTA (κ = 0.729; P < .01) both agreed with intraoperative assessment of AV phenotype. TEE appeared more accurate than intraoperative measurement at predicting commissural orientation (rs = 0.79; P < .01 vs rs = 0.58; P = .01). CTA and TEE were unlikely to predict and measured shorter than intraoperative geometric height measurement. Measurements of commissural heights by CTA did not agree with and were shorter than intraoperative measurement. ConclusionsTEE and CTA both appear accurate in predicting the AV phenotype identified intraoperatively. CTA and TEE predicted shorter heights than intraoperative measurement.

Biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: a prospective comparison to conventional surgery

STRUCTURED ABSTRACT Objectives Minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques are increasingly used but have longer cardiopulmonary bypass time, which may increase inflammatory response and negatively affect coagulation. Our aim was to compare biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation as well as transfusion rates after minimally invasive mitral valve repair and mitral valve surgery using conventional sternotomy. Design A prospective non-randomized study was performed enrolling 71 patients undergoing mitral valve surgery (35 right mini-thoracotomy and 36 conventional sternotomy procedures). Blood samples were collected pre- and postoperatively to assess inflammatory response. Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) was performed to assess coagulation, and transfusion rates were monitored. Results The minimally invasive group had longer cardiopulmonary bypass times compared to the sternotomy group: 127 min ([115–146] vs 79 min [65–112], p < 0.001) and were cooled to a lower temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass, 34 °C vs 36 °C (p = 0.04). IL-6 was lower in the minimally invasive group compared to the conventional sternotomy group when measured at the end of the surgical procedure, (38 [23–69] vs 61[41–139], p = 0.008), but no differences were found at postoperative day 1 or postoperative day 3. The transfusion rate was lower in the minimally invasive group (14%) compared to full sternotomy (35%, p = 0.04) and the chest tube output was reduced, (395 ml [190-705] vs 570 ml [400–1040], p = 0.04). Conclusions Our data showed that despite the longer use of extra corporal circulation during surgery, minimally invasive mitral valve repair is associated with reduced inflammatory response, lower rates of transfusion, and reduced chest tube output.

Role of NOD1 in atrial myopathy associated with heart failure

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Funding: Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (ISCIII [PI17/01344 and PI20/01482]), Ministry of Education (FPU19/01973), SEC, Proyecto Traslacional 2019, FEDER, FSE, CIBER-CV, a network funded by ISCIII Introduction Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome that constitutes one of the leading causes of cardiovascular death worldwide. Although multifactorial mechanisms appear to be responsible of atrial and ventricular HF-myopathy, the innate immune system and the derived inflammatory response have gained much attention in the last years. Previous studies from our group have demonstrated that the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1), a receptor of the innate immune system, plays a role in HF left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. However, its role in HF-atrial myopathy remains completely unknown. The main purpose of our study is to determine the role of NOD1 in human and experimental HF-atrial myopathy. Methods and Results The study was performed in two cohorts of individuals who underwent heart valve repair surgery, 51 non-failing individuals (NF) with LV ejection fraction (LVEF)&amp;gt;50% and NT-ProBNP levels&amp;lt;200pg/mL and 41 subjects with medium to severe reduced EF (HF)&amp;lt;50% and NT-ProBNP levels&amp;gt;200pg/mL. An informed consent was signed by all patients. Atrial myocardial tissue was excised from the atrial appendage and prepared for biochemical and histological studies. Echocardiography analysis showed that left and right atrial areas (LA and RA) were significantly increased in the HF group compared to NF, while LA and RA reservoir functions were significantly decreased in HF. Immunostaining demonstrated NOD1 location in atrial cardiomyocytes, being the protein levels of NOD1 and its specific adaptor RIP2 significantly increased in atrial tissue obtained from HF vs. NF. Although the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) was significantly higher in the HF group compared to NF, the upregulation of NOD1 was not conditioned by the presence of AF. Similarly, pigs that underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or proximal left circumflex coronary artery occlusion involving the LA branch (LAI), showed an upregulation of NOD1 pathway in atrial tissue, compared with the sham operated animals. Interestingly, an atrial upregulation of NOD1 axis was also observed in wild-type TAC mice, whereas Nod1-/- knockout mice showed a prevention in both structural and functional atrial remodelling induced by TAC, mainly by a prevention of intracellular calcium mishandling in isolated atrial cardiomyocytes. Finally, wild-type mice injected i.p. for 3 days with 3.3 mg/kg with a selective activator of NOD1, showed increased structural atrial remodelling and intracellular calcium mishandling compared to the vehicle-treated group. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that NOD1 axis is upregulated in human, swine and murine atrial failing myocardium. Genetic deletion of NOD1 prevented HF-atrial structural and functional remodelling, mainly by avoiding intracellular calcium mishandling, whereas its pharmacological activation induced atrial dilation and intracellular Ca2+ mishandling. All these data uncover NOD1 as a new player in atrial HF-remodelling.

Calcification and atheroma plaques: is there any impact on the anatomical features of the aortic root and its elements?

ObjectivesMorphometric information of the structures within the borders of the aortic root is a guide for surgical interventions. It is essential to determine the effects of aortic calcification and atheroma plaque findings on the structures of this region. This study aims to establish the normal values of aortic root structures and to investigate the impact of pathologic findings in order to guide diagnosis and treatment in the clinic. MethodsThe aortic root structures were morphometrically analyzed in fresh hearts of 110 patients (89 males, 21 females) brought to the forensic medicine institution. The distances between the bases of the aortic sinuses, their widths and heights, and the lengths of the commissures were measured to differentiate between pathologic and non-pathologic aortic classes. Parameters were compared according to gender, age, body mass index, and body surface area. ResultsThe mean age was 44.71 ± 15.57 years in 21 female patients and 53.66 ± 15.67 years in 89 male patients. The results of the pathologic aorta group with calcification and atheroma plaque findings were higher than the non-pathologic aorta group in all parameters (P < .05). ConclusionsCalcification and the presence of atheroma plaque in the aorta increase the size of the structures at the aortic root. Gender, age, body mass index, and body surface area are among the criteria that will cause changes in the structures of this region. These results will help surgeons to know the normal values of aortic root structures and to consider the effects of pathologic findings in aortic valve repair operations.

Mechanical Analysis of the Connection Structure of a Double-Layered Valve Stent within an Annuloplasty Ring

Background: In this study, to address the failure of mitral valve repair surgery, a novel valve-in-ring model for an artificial mitral valve annuloplasty ring and a new double-layer mitral valve were established. A suitable number and length of ventricular fixation struts within the annuloplasty ring, as well as the implantation depth, result in variations in stress and strain for the inner and outer stent layers. Methods: The compression and self-expansion model of the stent was established via finite element analysis. The changes in stress and strain were analyzed by setting the length and number of the ventricular fixed struts and implantation depth. Results: When only affected by factors such as blood pressure, the maximum stresses of stent structures with three and six ventricular fixed struts are 476 and 222 MPa, respectively, in the right posterior annular region. At implantation depths of 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mm, the maximum stresses are located in the left posterior annular region of the outer stent and are 740, 697, 709, and 742 MPa, respectively, and the maximum displacements of the inner stent are all in the right posterior ventricular fixed strut region of the posterior annulus and are 3.71, 3.10, 2.48, and 1.87 mm, respectively. In the three and six ventricular fixed strut stents, when the ventricular fixed strut length is 3, 4, and 5 mm, the maximum stresses are 570, 557, and 621 MPa and 674, 666, 644 MPa, respectively. Conclusions: Appropriately increasing the number of ventricular fixed struts can effectively reduce damage to the stent inside the body, and the damage to the stent is relatively consistent across different implantation depths; however, the right side of the stent's posterior annulus is particularly susceptible to damage. However, if the implantation depth is lower, the impact on the inner stent will be more significant. As the number of ventricular fixed struts increases, the strut length variation has a relatively stable impact on stent damage.

An unusual presentation of subacute Haemophilus parainfluenzae endocarditis in a low-risk woman treated by minimally invasive mitral valve repair: a case report

BackgroundHACEK endocarditis is usually insidious and can often be difficult to diagnose due to the slow-growing nature of the organisms. This report presents our experience in treating a patient with Haemophilus parainfluenzae endocarditis.Case presentationWe describe the case of a previously fit and well 23 year-old woman who presented to her local emergency department with a four-week history of persistent febrile illness. She had associated nausea, vomiting, and lethargy. This was preceded by an episode of mucopurulent rhinorrhoea. She was treated empirically with oral amoxicillin for a putative diagnosis of rhinosinusitis. Initially, her symptoms abated, however, she was readmitted with high fevers and a new pansystolic murmur. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large, mobile, echogenic mass, tethered to the posterior mitral valve leaflet (PMVL) and mild mitral regurgitation (MR). On examination, she had multiple non-tender, erythematous macules on the plantar surface of her feet, consistent with Janeway lesions. Two separate blood cultures grew H. parainfluenzae. Infectious diseases recommended a four-week course of intravenous ceftriaxone. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a perforation within the P3 segment of the PMVL. Subsequently, the patient underwent mitral valve repair surgery with an uneventful recovery.ConclusionsOur case highlights the importance of promptly diagnosing HACEK endocarditis. A prolonged course of antibiotic therapy can be lifesaving, and surgery is often necessary to address complications such as perforation within the mitral valve leaflets. In our patient, we were able to perform a sliding P2 leaflet plasty for good quality repair of the mitral valve, through a minimally invasive right anterior thoracotomy.

Aortic valve repair surgery: a historical review, current analysis, and future prospects

Aortic valve repair surgery is an ancient surgical approach. It is ancient in the sense that it emerged alongside aortic valve replacement surgery, but was gradually abandoned due to suboptimal outcomes. Currently, aortic valve replacement surgery has become the preferred method for treating patients with aortic valve dysfunction, with or without aortic root lesions. However, due to the risks of prosthetic valve deterioration and anticoagulation-related complications, aortic valve repair surgery has re-emerged as an attractive treatment option, avoiding the long-term risks associated with prosthetic valves. However, it comes with the risk of recurrence of valve regurgitation. Remodeling and reimplantation are milestones in aortic valve repair, reducing the risk of aortic regurgitation. The concept of functional anatomy of the aortic root and the mechanism of aortic regurgitation lay the theoretical foundation for modern aortic valve repair. Aortic valve repair has become a comprehensive repair strategy that involves the basal ring, sinus, sino-tubular junction, and aortic lobes. The long-term survival rate is close to that of the normal population, and the valvular-related reintervention rate is comparable to that of valve replacement. Aortic valve repair is gradually becoming a novel alternative treatment for patients with aortic valve insufficiency, with or without aortic root lesions.

Large Animal Translational Validation of 3 Mitral Valve Repair Operations for Mitral Regurgitation Using a Mitral Valve Prolapse Model: A Comprehensive In Vivo Biomechanical Engineering Analysis.

Various mitral repair techniques have been described. Though these repair techniques can be highly effective when performed correctly in suitable patients, limited quantitative biomechanical data are available. Validation and thorough biomechanical evaluation of these repair techniques from translational large animal in vivo studies in a standardized, translatable fashion are lacking. We sought to evaluate and validate biomechanical differences among different mitral repair techniques and further optimize repair operations using a large animal mitral valve prolapse model. Male Dorset sheep (n=20) had P2 chordae severed to create the mitral valve prolapse model. Fiber Bragg grating force sensors were implanted to measure chordal forces. Ten sheep underwent 3 randomized, paired mitral valve repair operations: neochord repair, nonresectional leaflet remodeling, and triangular resection. The other 10 sheep underwent neochord repair with 2, 4, and 6 neochordae. Data were collected at baseline, mitral valve prolapse, and after each repair. All mitral repair techniques successfully eliminated regurgitation. Compared with mitral valve prolapse (0.54±0.18 N), repair using neochord (0.37±0.20 N; P=0.02) and remodeling techniques (0.30±0.15 N; P=0.001) reduced secondary chordae peak force. Neochord repair further decreased primary chordae peak force (0.21±0.14 N) to baseline levels (0.20±0.17 N; P=0.83), and was associated with lower primary chordae peak force compared with the remodeling (0.34±0.18 N; P=0.02) and triangular resectional techniques (0.36±0.27 N; P=0.03). Specifically, repair using 2 neochordae resulted in higher peak primary chordal forces (0.28±0.21 N) compared with those using 4 (0.22±0.16 N; P=0.02) or 6 neochordae (0.19±0.16 N; P=0.002). No difference in peak primary chordal forces was observed between 4 and 6 neochordae (P=0.05). Peak forces on the neochordae were the lowest using 6 neochordae (0.09±0.11 N) compared with those of 4 neochordae (0.15±0.14 N; P=0.01) and 2 neochordae (0.29±0.18 N; P=0.001). Significant biomechanical differences were observed underlying different mitral repair techniques in a translational large animal model. Neochord repair was associated with the lowest primary chordae peak force compared to the remodeling and triangular resectional techniques. Additionally, neochord repair using at least 4 neochordae was associated with lower chordal forces on the primary chordae and the neochordae. This study provided key insights about mitral valve repair optimization and may further improve repair durability.

Segmental analysis of aortic basal ring dimensions in normal and dilated tricuspid aortic roots.

In patients with aortic root aneurysm, the aortic basal ring is frequently dilated. It has been speculated that the muscular part of the basal ring dilates most. The purpose of this study was to analyse the segmental dilatation of the basal ring, comparing normal and dilated roots in patients with tricuspid aortic valves. Retrospective analysis of computed tomography studies in patients with normal and dilated aortic roots was performed. Lengths of segments of the basal ring corresponding to each of the 3 sinuses, and to the muscular and fibrous parts were measured. Fractions of these segments relative to the total basal ring perimeter were calculated. We analysed 152 normal and 126 dilated aortic roots and 86 propensity-matched pairs. Basal ring dilatation was present in all segments of dilated aortic roots with subtle differences between the segments corresponding to the 3 sinuses. The muscular part of the basal ring dilated proportionately to its fibrous part, with no difference in fractions of measured muscular part in normal and dilated roots [42.2% (interquartile range 4.3%) vs 42.1% (interquartile range 6.3%)]. Basal ring dilatation was present in all segments corresponding to the 3 sinuses in dilated aortic roots. Both muscular and fibrous parts dilated equally, supporting the need to stabilize the entire basal ring when performing aortic valve repair surgery.

Clinical Outcome of Rheumatic Mitral Valve Repair and Replacement Surgery in Indonesia; A Comparison with Non-Rheumatic Aetiology.

Mitral valve repair (MVr) has been shown to achieve better outcomes than mitral valve replacement (MVR) in degenerative aetiology. However, that cannot be applied in rheumatic mitral valve disease. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate early and late clinical outcomes and mid-term survival in RHD compared to the non-RHD group and whether mitral valve repair is a better surgical approach in RHD patients. Patients who underwent mitral valve surgery with or without coronary artery bypass grafting were included in this study. All patients were divided into the RHD and non-RHD group by the type of mitral surgery performed. Early and late outcomes were evaluated, and mid-term cumulative survival was reported. A total of 1382 patients post MV surgeries were included. The 30-day mortality was significantly higher in the RHD group compared to the non-RHD group (8.7% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.003). There was no difference in 30-day mortality between repair and replacement in each respective group. During follow-up (12-54 months), all-cause mortality between RHD and non-RHD groups (16.7% vs. 16.2%) was not different. In the RHD group, the survival of MVr was 85.6% (95% CI 82.0%-88.5%), and MVR was 78.3% (95% CI 75.8%-80.6%), p-value log rank 0.26 However, in the non-RHD group, patients who underwent MVr had better survival than MVR, with cumulative survival of 81.7% (95% CI 72.3%-88.2%) vs. 71.1% (95% CI 56.3%-81.7%) p-value log rank 0.007. Early mortality rate in rheumatic mitral valve surgery was higher than in non-rheumatic valve surgery. Although in rheumatic MV disease MV repair did not show a significant survival advantage over MV replacement, a trend towards more favourable survival in the repair group was observed.

Pushing boundaries in cardiac surgery: minimally invasive mitral valve repair combined with tricuspid valve repair and/or other concomitant procedures.

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair/replacement has emerged as a widely accepted surgical approach for managing mitral valve disorders. Continuous technological progress has contributed to the refinement of this procedure, leading to improved safety, decreased surgical trauma, and faster recovery times. Despite these advancements, there remains a scarcity of data concerning minimally invasive complex mitral valve repair surgeries when combined with additional procedures. Between November 2008 and December 2022, 153 patients underwent an operation using a minimally invasive technique. All patients underwent mitral valve surgery for severe mitral valve insufficiency/stenosis in combination with at least one additional procedure for tricuspid valve repair (n = 52, 34%), patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect closure (n = 34, 22.2%), left atrial appendage occlusion (n = 25, 16.3%), or electrophysiological procedure (n = 101, 66.0%). Two concomitant procedures were conducted in 98 patients (64.1%), three concomitant procedures in 49 patients (32%), and four concomitant procedures in 6 patients (3.9%). Surgical success was achieved in 99.3% of the patients (n = 152), one patient required a revision of the mitral valve repair on the first postoperative day due to systolic anterior motion phenomenon. Mitral valve repair was performed in 136 patients (88.9%), while 15 patients (9.8%) received a mitral valve replacement as per a preoperative decision due to severe mitral valve stenosis, and two patients (1.3%) underwent other mitral valve procedures. Therapeutic success in treating atrial fibrillation was achieved in 86 patients (85.1%) of the 101 who received an additional maze-procedure. The 30-day mortality rate was 0.7%, with one patient succumbing to respiratory failure. Neurological complications occurred in 7 patients (4.6%). Freedom from reoperation was calculated as 98% at 5-year follow-up and 96.5% at 10-year follow-up. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, even when performed alongside concomitant procedures, stands out as a reproducible and safe technique with outstanding outcomes. It is imperative to advance towards the next frontier in minimally invasive surgery, encouraging experienced surgeons to undertake more complex procedures using minimally invasive approaches. These results help envision extending the boundaries of minimally invasive surgery by performing complex mitral valve procedures and associated interventions entirely through endoscopic means in suitable patients.

Trends in Isolated Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement Surgery in Australia: A Statewide Cohort Linkage Study

Global trends in mitral valve surgery (MVSx) suggest increasing repair compared with replacement, especially in the United States and European countries. The relative use, and outcomes of, MV repair and replacement in Australia are unknown. New South Wales residents who underwent isolated MVSx between 2001 and 2017 were identified from the Admitted-Patient-Data-Collection database. Mortality outcomes were tracked to 31 Dec 2018 and adjusted based on age, sex, urgency of operation, and comorbidity status. The study cohort comprised 5,693 patients: 2020 (35%) underwent repair (MVr), 1,656 (29%) underwent mechanical replacement (mech.MVR), and 2017 (35%) underwent bioprosthetic replacement (bio.MVR). Respective median ages [interquartile range] were 67 yo [59-75 yo], 64 yo [55-71 yo], and 75 yo [68-80 yo] (p<0.001 across groups). Between 2001 and 2017, total MVSx increased steadily with population growth. Whereas the relative use of MVr remained static (34% to 38%), that for bio.MVR (22% to 50%) and mech.MVR (45% to 13%) changed significantly. MVr had the best outcome with 1.2% in-hospital, 2.5% 1-year, and 21.6% total cumulative mortality during a median follow-up of 6.5 years. Compared to MVr, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for mech.MVR and bio.MVR for long-term mortality were 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24-1.61) and 1.73 (95% CI=1.53-1.95), respectively. Heart failure and sepsis were the main cardiovascular and noncardiovascular causes of death in all groups. In this statewide Australian cohort examined over 17 years, MVr is potentially underutilised despite having superior outcomes to MVR. Access to quality dataset which provides the indication for MVSx and quantitative clinical factors is critical to further improve MVr coverage and outcome MVSx.

Histopathological findings of inflammatory activity in patients with subclinical carditis

In patients with Chronic Rheumatic Carditis, active carditis is an often underdiagnosed condition. Rheumatic attacks promote the aggravation of existing lesions, leading to a deterioration of the patient’s clinical condition. Thus, reducing the morbidity and mortality of the disease depends, in part, on controlling relapses through secondary prophylaxis. Underdiagnosis is due in part to the occurrence of subclinical rheumatic attacks. This study was carried out with data from patients who were diagnosed with Chronic Rheumatic Carditis and who underwent cardiac surgery for valve replacement or repair, without clinical or laboratory evidence of rheumatic outbreak. A fragment of myocardium was sent for histopathological analysis. Data on the frequency of histopathological alterations compatible with a rheumatic outbreak were analyzed. After analysis, 80% of patients showed changes compatible with inflammatory activity. Of these, 87.5% had lymphocytic infiltrate; 25% had Aschoff’s nodules. The most frequent histopathological findings of chronic disease were myocardial hypertrophy in 56.7% of patients and fibrosis in 53.3%.

Early mitral valve repair surgery versus active surveillance in patients with asymptomatic severe primary mitral regurgitation; insights from the Dutch AMR registry

Abstract Background Management of asymptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and preserved left ventricular function is still a challenging clinical entity. According to international guidelines, early mitral valve repair (MVR) surgery and active surveillance with facilitated surgery are both possible treatment strategies. Conflicting evidence is available on the number of patients that reach an indication for facilitated surgery during follow-up in the active surveillance strategy group [1, 2]. In the multicenter Dutch AMR registry, asymptomatic MR patients were allocated to either strategy according to the heart team decision [3]. In this registry there was a low threshold to perform additional testing (i.e. cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, holter monitoring and/or cardiopulmonary exercise testing). Purpose To prospectively assess the percentage of MR patients undergoing facilitated surgery during a long-term active surveillance strategy. Methods Since 2013, 99 patients with severe primary MR were included in the Dutch AMR Registry in 5 medical centers. Enrollment for early surgery or active surveillance was based on ESC guidelines and heart team decision. During long term follow-up, we assessed primary endpoints for both groups; occurrence of atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular accident, heart failure, MVR surgery and cardiovascular/non-cardiovascular death. In particular, we assessed the number and timing of patients that underwent facilitated surgery in the active surveillance group. Results In total, 71 patients were allocated to the active surveillance and 28 to the early surgery group. 39 Patients in the active surveillance group reached a primary endpoint including 3 deaths (2 cardiovascular and 1 non-cardiovascular) (Figure 1). In the early surgery group, 4 patients reached a primary endpoint including 2 cardiovascular deaths. Over a mean follow-up time of 4.4 years, 36 patients (51%) of the active surveillance population underwent facilitated surgery due to either symptomatic or asymptomatic triggers (Table 1). Conclusions In the Dutch AMR registry, 51% of MR patients under active surveillance needed facilitated surgery within 4.4 years. Approximately half of these patients were still asymptomatic when developing an indication for surgery. Cardiovascular mortality rates were similar between the two treatment strategies. This result shows that active surveillance can be safely accomplished in asymptomatic severe MR patients. The Dutch AMR registry will further elucidate 1) whether MR patients can be stratified at baseline to either strategy based on additional testing and 2) whether facilitated surgery is non-inferior to early surgery in terms of surgical outcome, quality of life and long-term survival. For now, the current results support an active surveillance strategy in selected asymptomatic MR patients based on guidelines since half of patients are still free of symptoms without guideline indications for surgery.Figure 1Table 1

Impact of single-valve and multiple-valve heart disease on long-term outcome in patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract Background There are limited data concerning outcome and risk stratification of single and multiple valvular heart diseases (VHD) in patients with heart failure (HF). Purpose Present study aimed to evaluate the long-term all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality of HF patients with or without VHD. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching. Of 4245 HF patients who referred to the cardiology department for diagnosis and treatment of VHD between 2004 and 2018, 1417 patients had no VHD and 2828 patients had at least one valve disease, including moderate-severe aortic stenosis or aortic regurgitation, moderate-severe mitral stenosis or mitral regurgitation, and moderate-severe tricuspid regurgitation. Propensity score for each patient was calculated using logistic regression models, and 1016 patients without VHD and 1016 patients with VHD matched for age, sex, and NYHA class were finally included for final analysis (mean age 68±12, 77.4% male, NYHA class III-IV 30.6%). Primary endpoint was defined as mortality due to CV causes. Results Median follow-up time was 30 (17-47) months. CV mortality was significantly higher in the VHD group than that in the no-VHD group (13.2% vs. 7.2%, P&amp;lt;0.001). All-cause mortality was similar between groups (25.8% vs. 22.4%, P=0.078). Compared to the no-VHD group, proportions of hyperlipidaemia, atrial fibrillation, hyperuricemia, and chronic kidney disease were significantly higher, while proportions of obesity, coronary artery disease, and diabetes were significantly lower in the VHD group. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, 46.8±15.8% vs. 38.5±9.4%, P&amp;lt;0.001) were significantly higher in the VHD group than those in the no-VHD group. All-cause mortality and CV mortality were significantly higher in patients with multiple VHD than those with single VHD (0- vs. 1- vs. 2- vs. 3-valve disease: all-cause mortality 22.4% vs. 21.5% vs. 32.1% vs. 43.3%, P&amp;lt;0.001; CV mortality 7.2% vs. 10.6% vs. 17.3% vs. 22.4%, P&amp;lt;0.001). Of 1016 patients with VHD, 462 (45.5%) patients did not underwent valve replacement or repair and 554 (54.5%) patients underwent at least one valve replacement or repair. All-cause mortality (18.6% vs. 34.4%, P&amp;lt;0.001) and CV mortality (10.6% vs. 16.2%, P=0.026) were significantly lower in patients with valve replacement or repair compared with those without surgery (Figure 1). Multivariable Cox regression models showed that valve replacement or repair surgery significantly improved CV-death free survival (HR 0.631, 95% CI 0.441-0.903) after adjusted for clinical risk factors and LVEF. Conclusions Compared with age, sex, and NYHA class matched chronic HF patients without VHD, concomitant VHD is associated with worse all-cause and CV mortality in proportion to the number of valves involved in patients with chronic HF. Valve replacement or repair can significantly reduce all-cause and CV mortality in this patient cohort.Figure 1