title: Calcification and degeneration following mitral valve reconstruction in patients requiring chronic dialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Abnormal calcium homeostasis in patients with end-stage renal failure results in dystrophic calcification; this limits the use of heterograft tissue valve prostheses in patients on chronic dialysis. Mitral valve reconstruction offers advantages over mitral replacement in many patients without renal failure, and offers theoretical advantages in patients requiring dialysis. This study was performed to determine the outcome of mitral valve reconstruction in patients with renal failure requiring chronic dialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with end-stage renal failure and on chronic dialysis who underwent mitral valve repair were identified retrospectively and followed for clinical and echocardiographic outcome. All patients had good results immediately following surgical valve mitral repair, with no more than mild mitral regurgitation and low transmitral gradients on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical and echocardiographic follow up was available for eight patients at an average of 2.3 +/- 1.4 years after surgery. Despite there being no significant valve calcification at the time of surgery, visible mitral leaflet calcification was evident in seven of these patients, and the transmitral gradient for the group was significantly increased (from 4.8 +/- 1.7 mmHg to 8.3 +/- 3.9 mmHg, p = 0.04). Two patients required reoperation for failed mitral repair; one at six months due to chordal rupture, and one at 15 months due to mitral calcification with stenosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite good early surgical results, there was accelerated calcification of the repaired mitral valve, a rapid increase in postoperative mitral gradients, and a high incidence of failure of the reconstruction. Additional prospective studies are required to evaluate the optimal intervention for patients with end-stage renal failure who require mitral valve surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lewandowski
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Bolling
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bach
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure