Intermittent annular reduction with Alfieri's repair in the treatment of mitral insufficiency in children: initial results.

OBJECTIVE Mitral valve insufficiency must be treated by repair whenever as possible as it provides better results - especially within the pediatric population in order to avoid valve replacement inconvenients. The aim of this study is to describe mitral valve repair technique based on an anatomical and functional approach. METHODS During a 13 months period, eight children (age ranged from 2 and 12 years old 6.37 +/- 3.66) with mitral valve insufficiency underwent intermittent anterior and posterior annuloplasty associated with Alfieri's repair - performed by placing a stitch between the anterior and posterior leaflets in the point of maximal regurgitation thus creating a double orificial mitral valve. RESULTS There were no surgical deaths. All patients underwent postoperative echocardiography. Three patients showed mild mitral valve insufficiency and five patients showed no insufficiency. The time in intensive care unit ranged from 2 to 4 days (2.5 +/- 0.75), and the time of stay in hospital ranged from 5 to 8 days (6.37 +/- 1.06). CONCLUSION In spite of the little sample size, the proposed technique proved itself to be simple and effective in the treatment of single mitral valve insufficiency within the pediatric population. In addition, it also yielded satisfactory immediate results. Long-term follow-up is nevertheless necessary in order to evaluate long-term results.