Mitral valve replacement versus reconstruction. An analysis of indications and results of mitral valve procedures in a consecutive series of 80 patients

Case histories of 80 patients undergoing mitral valve procedures over a 2 year period were analyzed to determine the preoperative and intraoperative factors favoring reconstruction. Of 34 patients undergoing valve reconstruction, 31 (90 per cent) were women, and the average age of patients undergoing reconstruction was 41 versus 51 for patients who underwent replacement. Absence of calcification on fluoroscopic study and at operation favored reconstruction, as did the finding of good leaflet mobility by preoperative echocardiograms and operative assessment. Pure lesions, i.e., stenosis or insufficiency, favored reconstruction. In this regard, the use of new annuloplasty techniques has facilitated the surgeon's ability to reconstruct regurgitant mitral valves. No operative deaths and excellent functional and clinical results obtained in 80 per cent of patients undergoing mitral reconstruction justify the aggressive application of this technique in properly selected patients.