SUMMARY A 64 year old woman with partial atrioventricular canal and double orifice mitral valve presented with severe mitral regurgitation secondary to a torn leaflet. The double orifice regurgitant mitral valve is an unusual finding at operation. Double orifice mitral valve is an unusual congenital abnormality that is rarely of clinical importance. We describe a patient in whom this finding was associated with severe mitral regurgitation.Case report A 64 year old woman was noted to have a murmur at age 20, but was symptom free until 1977 when congestive heart failure developed. A murmur typical of mitral regurgitation was noted. Her symptoms resolved on digoxin and diuretic treatment. She did well until November, 1983, when symptoms of weakness, abdominal distension, dyspnoea, and palpitation developed. Frusemide and quinidine (for ventricular extrasystoles) were started but when her symptoms progressed she was referred to our institution.-CLINICAL FINDINGS Physical examination showed a normotensive female in no distress. Pulse was 66 beats per minute with frequent extrasystoles. Her venous pressure was raised with pronounced V waves. Carotid pulses were normal. The apical impulse was felt in the sixth intercostal space in the midclavicular line, and there was a left parasternal thrill. The first and second heart sounds were normal. The third heart sound was soft. A grade 5/6 harsh pansystolic murmur radiated from the heart apex to the axilla and spine. The electrocardiogram showed left axis deviation, first degree atrioventricular block, and right bundle branch block. A chest x ray film showed cardiomegaly, prominent pulmonary arteries, and increased pulmonary vascular flow. Laboratory studies were unremarkable.Cross sectional echocardiography (Fig. 1) showed left atrial, right atrial, and right ventricular enlargement; an ostium primum type atrial septal defect; and a cleft anterior mitral leaflet. A contrast study demonstrated right to left shunting across the atrial septal defect. At retrospective examination of the echocardiogram two separate mitral valve orifices could be seen in the parasternal long axis right ventricular inflow view.Cardiac catheterisation demonstrated raised right heart pressures, increased right atrial oxygen saturation and mild arterial desaturation. The pulmonary: systemic blood flow ratio was 1 9:1.Left ventricular cineangiography showed normal wall motion with evidence of a gooseneck deformity of the left ventricular outflow tract and severe mitral regurgitation. There was left atrial and right ventricular enlargement. Early appearance of contrast in the right atrium confirmed the presence of an atrial septal defect. Coronary angiography was normal.
FINDINGS AT OPERATIONThe heart was explored through a lateral right atrial incision. The tricuspid valve annulus was considerably dilated with a cleft in the septal leaflet extending to the septal rim. The valve was grossly incompetent. A 3 cm diameter ostium primum defect was present. The mitral valve was fully viewed through an incis...