Symmetric volume-reduction plasty of the enlarged left atrium: 15-years clinical experience

Method From December 1998 to December 2013 we performed symmetric volume-reduction plasty of the left atrium (LA) in 104 patients with mitral valve disease using a technique we developed: we began the superior suture on the top of LA, above the line between the superior pulmonary veins; the right and left sutures were begun more laterally than the ostium of the inferior pulmonary veins, while on the left side we took into the suture the inner part of the left auriculum. All three sutures were tied up in the center of the posterior LA. Most of patients (87 cases) had a chronic form of atrial fibrillation and were in NYHA class IV. Mean age was 53,4+ 11 years. Procedures consisted of left atrium plasty (104 cases), mitral valve surgery (104 cases), tricuspid annuloplasty (47 cases), right atrium plasty (29 cases), aortic valve replacement (20 cases), left atrium thrombectomy (7 cases), coronary artery bypass grafting (5 cases), artificial chorde implantation (5 cases).