Surgical Management of Giant Left Atrium during Mitral Valve Surgery

Abstract

Rheumatic mitral valve disease, a preventable and eradicable condition, remains the primary indication of mitral valve surgery in developing countries. Delayed surgery is the main cause of giant left atrium (LA). This extreme dilatation of LA causes various complications compromising hemodynamic stability. We describe herein a patient with severe mitral stenosis and giant LA who had successful surgical correction by mitral valve replacement with reduction of the size of a LA.