Mitral valve plasty (MVP) is preferred over mitral valve replacement (MVR) for mitral regurgitation in humans because of its favorable effect on quality of life. In small dogs, it is difficult to repair multiple lesions in both leaflets using MVP. Herein, we report a case of severe mitral regurgitation caused by multiple severe lesions in the posterior leaflet (PL) in a mixed Chihuahua. Initial...

INTRODUCTION For many patients suffering from end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation remains the only hope for survival, but the shortage of donor organ is increasing. The growing number of patients awaiting heart transplantation has led many centers to expand the donor pool by liberalizing donor criteria, including advances in surgical techniques on the donor heart, such as valve repai...

OBJECTIVE Based upon recent developments in transcatheter technology, this study was designed to evaluate the feasibility and haemodynamic performance of transcatheter valve-in-a-ring (VinR) implantation for potentially failed mitral repair using a minimally invasive, transatrial, off-pump approach. METHODS Adult sheep (54.3+/-3.0 kg) underwent mitral valve repair with a 26 mm complete annulo...

A 73-year old woman presented with progressive exertional dyspnoea. Echocardiography revealed severe regurgitation of the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves, indicating the need for multiple valve surgery. The patient had a past history of oesophageal cancer that had been treated with chemoradiotherapy followed by oesophagectomy with presternal reconstruction using a gastric tube and a pedicle...

A 75-year-old female with persistent long-lasting atrial fibrillation (AF) spontaneously reverted to sinus rhythm (SR). She had been suffering from mitral stenosis and secondary tricuspid insufficiency with AF since her 50’s. She underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty 3 years previously. Spontaneous defibrillation improved cardiac status and remained in SR for 3 years. Po...

The authors agree with Myers et al. [1] that biodegradable materials represent a useful alternative in the management of tricuspid valve endocarditis repair. Our statement of dividing tricuspid valve repair choices in prosthetic and non-prosthetic techniques adequately sets the main cornerstones of surgical therapy: first, minimizing, as much as possible, the resulting valve regurgitation follo...

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 a...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term results of tricuspid valve (TV) repair with or without an annuloplasty ring. METHODS AND RESULTS 702 patients underwent TV repair at our institution (1978 to 2003), of which 493 had, predominantly, a De Vega procedure (no ring) and 209 had an annuloplasty ring (ring). TV pathology was functional (secondary) in 74% of patients. ...

Until recently, percutaneous catheter therapy for valvular heart disease was limited to catheter balloon valvuloplasty for aortic, mitral, or pulmonic stenosis. A number of new approaches to percutaneous valve therapy are now developing rapidly, including methods for catheter-based valve replacement and repair. Stent-mounted valve prostheses have been successfully implanted in the pulmonic and ...

OBJECTIVES This study sought to assess the use of real-time (RT) 3-dimensional (3D) transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the evaluation of post-operative mitral valve dehiscence. BACKGROUND Mitral valve replacement or repair may be complicated by post-operative dehiscence of the valve or annuloplasty ring resulting in clinically significant mitral regurgitation or hemol...