title: Left atrial plication combined with mitral valve surgery in patients with a giant left atrium.
abstract: The benefits of performing left atrial plication during mitral valve surgery for patients with a giant left atrium were evaluated by analyzing the short- and long-term surgical results and changes in the left atrial dimension (LAD) and respiratory function of 30 patients. Of the 30 patients, 2 (7%) died of multiple organ failure on postoperative days 26 and 117, but no other deaths occurred during the mean follow-up of 5.9 +/- 2.1 years. Valve thrombosis was observed in one patient and cerebral complications with no residual deficit were observed in two patients, with a 9-year event-free rate of 87 +/- 7%. The LAD decreased significantly from 69.0 +/- 8.5 mm to 53.7 +/- 9.1 mm (P < 0.01) shortly after surgery, and this decreased was maintained even 5 years after surgery (53.3 +/- 11.4 mm). The cardiothoracic ratio decreased from 74.8 +/- 8.3% to 62.8 +/- 9.0% (P < 0.01) and the vital capacity of the lungs increased from 71.1 +/- 18.0% to 82.9 +/- 22.2% (P < 0.01). Thus, we conclude that performing left atrial plication during mitral valve surgery is safe and effective for patients with giant left atrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery III, Nara Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagihara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukutomi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawata
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications