Alternative technique for assessment and repair of the mitral valve.

Valve repair is preferred over replacement in the management of mitral regurgitation when technically possible. Central to the achievement of a durable result is precise assessment of the anatomic abnormality present before repair, as well as accurate intraoperative evaluation of the adequacy of repair accomplished. Cardioplegic techniques commonly employed permit inspection of the valve in a flaccid, arrested state, which may not accurately reflect its function in the contractile heart. The repair can be tested under normal loading conditions only after separation from cardiopulmonary bypass. An alternative technique of myocardial management employing mild hypothermia, continuous aortic root perfusion, and intermittent fibrillation is described that provides an opportunity to directly examine the valve under physiologic conditions before, during, and after completion of the repair.