title: Conduction disturbances after superior septal approach for mitral valve repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The superior septal approach sacrifices the sinus node artery, and it requires more invasive incisions into the right and left atria. Therefore, postoperative rhythm disturbances could be troublesome in patients with SSA. In this study, we evaluated perioperative and midterm conduction disturbances in the cardiac rhythms of patients who had a SSA for mitral valve repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two patients had mitral valve operations by the superior septal approach, and cardiac rhythm status was assessed. The mean follow-up period was 15 +/- 8 months. In patients with normal sinus rhythms preoperatively, serial changes in PR intervals were also assessed. Holter electrocardiograms were used 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Twelve patients who had mitral valve operations by conventional left atriotomy from the right side of the left atrium served as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no operative deaths, but one patient in the experimental group died of cerebral hemorrhage 4 months postoperatively. No intractable arrhythmias occurred. Of the 25 patients who maintained sinus rhythms, preoperative PR interval on electrocardiogram was 155 +/- 20 milliseconds. Postoperative PR intervals increased for 1 week, had decreased within 2 weeks postoperatively, and returned to the normal range by 6 months postoperatively. Holter electrocardiograms of 17 patients did not show supraventricular arrhythmias exceeding 3% of the total beats. None of the patients needed pacemaker implantation. The PR intervals of 5 patients with normal sinus rhythms in the control group did not show significant changes perioperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The superior septal approach is excellent for mitral valve operations because it overcomes postoperative dysrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan. tcvmisa@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fuse
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawahito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002423:Cause of Death; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality