Giant left atrium and mitral valve replacement: risk factor analysis.

Giant left atrium (GLA) associated with mitral valve disease (MVD) has been reported as a significant risk factor in mitral valve surgery with mortality ranging from 8%-32%. Plication of the left atrium has been suggested to reduce postoperative left ventricular failure, respiratory failure and mortality. The 203 consecutive patients with MVD operated upon between 1980 and 1986 were reviewed and divided in two groups: group A without GLA (165 patients) and group B with GLA (38 patients = 19%). The pertinent preoperative and intraoperative notes and the early and late postoperative course were reviewed and correlated. The hospital mortality was 2.4% in group A and 2.6% in group B. Late mortality, at a mean follow-up of 54 months was 4.3% in group A and 5.4% in group B. In this series, GLA was not a significant risk factor in MVR and did not affect early and late results as compared with cases without GLA. Plication may not be required in absence of extracardiac signs of compression.