title: Early and late results of mitral valve repair for mitral valve regurgitation. Significant risk factors of reoperation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitral valve repair for mitral valve regurgitation has many advantages over mitral valve replacement. However, durability and reoperation after mitral valve repair still remain major problems. We examined the outcome of mitral valve repair for mitral valve regurgitation and analyzed several pre- and intraoperative potential risk factors to determine the significant risk factors of reoperation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 1981 to November 1996, 86 patients underwent mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation or combined mitral regurgitation and stenosis. The mean age was 53 years, and 88.4% were New York Heart Association class III or IV. The causes of mitral valve disease were degenerative disease in 53 patients, rheumatic disease in 15, infective endocarditis in 11, and ischemic disease in 7. There were 2 early and 8 late deaths.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Actuarial overall survival including early death at 10 years was 83.2+/-6.1%, freedom from reoperation was 86.8+/-5.3%, freedom from thromboembolism was 90.9+/-6.2%, and freedom from infective endocarditis was 98.5+/-1.5%. There was no bleeding event. At the last follow-up, most patients were in New York Heart Association class I or II. Prolapse of anterior leaflet and rheumatic mitral regurgitation were identified as independent predictors for reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The repair techniques for anterior leaflet prolapse and patient selection in rheumatic mitral disease are important for improving long-term results of mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuwaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyofumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome