Reconstruction of the mitral anulus. A ten-year experience.

Reconstruction of the mitral anulus was done in 93 patients because of extensive calcification in 24, infective endocarditis with annular abscess in 27, damaged anulus as a result of previous valve replacement in 36, and rupture of the posterior wall of the left ventricle after mitral valve replacement in 6. The reconstruction was done with fresh autologous pericardium in 30 patients, glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine pericardium in 56, and Dacron graft in 7. An appropriately tailored patch was sutured to the endocardium of the left ventricle or to fibrous skeleton of the heart, or to both. Sixty patients had had previous operation; most patients were in New York Heart Association functional class IV and 15 were in shock. The mitral valve was repaired in 10 patients and replaced in 83. Other procedures were aortic valve replacement in 40, tricuspid valve repair in 25, coronary artery bypass in 12, and replacement of the ascending aorta in 2. Eight patients died in the perioperative period. Postoperative complications were common. Patients were followed up from 12 to 96 months, with a mean of 30 months. There have been 18 late deaths, mostly cardiac. The actuarial survival at 5 years was 68% +/- 6%. A total of 8 patients have required reoperation: 4 because of endocarditis, 2 because of bioprosthetic valve failure, and 2 because of patch dehiscence. The freedom from reoperation was 80% +/- 8% at 5 years. The freedom from patch dehiscence was 95% +/- 4% at 5 years. Reconstruction of the mitral anulus has been an extremely useful operative technique for patients with complex mitral valve disease.