No abstract

Patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) should undergo surgery when they present symptoms or if asymptomatic when there is objective evidence of left ventricular dysfunction. In this work, we analyze the midterm results of leaflet augmentation in mitral valve repair of rheumatic valves with gluteraldehyde preserved autologous pericardium. Patients and Methods: In our department 48 patients were exposed to mitral valve repair by leaflet augmentation either anterior or posterior beside other technique and all patients supported by flexible annuloplasty ring and followed for five years clinically and by echocardiography. Results: Age of the patients ranging from 12 to 47 years, mean age 25.9 ± 8.9 and there were 12 males (25%) and 36 females (75%) with male to female ratio of 1:3. All patients presented with shortness of breath (100%); with 14 patients were in NYHA class III (29.17%) and 34 patients were in NYHA class IV (70.83%). During follow-up period 5 patients needed reoperation by valve replacement, causes of reoperation were restrictive valve motion in one patient, left atrial thrombus in 1 patient and sever mitral regurgitation in 3 patients. Freedom from reoperation was 87.5%. At 5 years, (92.9%) were in New York Heart Association functional class I, three patients (7.1%) were in class II. Echocardiography at follow-up showed satisfactory mitral valve function. Conclusion: leaflet augmentation is a simple and reproducible method of valve repair for rheumatic MR with good midterm result.