title: Surgical management of mitral regurgitation after repair of endocardial cushion defects: early and midterm results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitral regurgitation (MR) represents the principal indication for reoperation in patients after repair of atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). Reports of mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) in such patients are few; the alternative, mitral valve replacement (MVR), necessitates commitment to future valve replacement and long-term anticoagulation. We sought to determine the outcome of those patients who underwent either MVP or MVR between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 1998, for significant MR after repair of AVSD. Furthermore, we sought to identify (a) morphological predictors necessitating MVR, and (b) predictors of future reoperation within the MVP group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retrospective review of clinical, operative, and echocardiographic data were performed. There were 46 patients identified (37 MVP and 9 MVR). The median age at initial AVSD repair was 0.6 years, and the age at subsequent mitral valve operation was 2.8 years. The early postoperative mortality rate was 2.2%, and survival at 1 and 10 years was 89.9% and 86.6%, respectively. A high rate of complete heart block was noted within the MVR group (37.5%). Freedom from later mitral valve reoperation for both groups was similar. No significant morphological predictors necessitating MVR were found. Predictors of reoperation within the MVP group included the presence of moderate or worse MR in the early postoperative period. In both groups New York Heart Association class, degree of MR, growth, and ventricular volumes improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mitral valve surgery significantly improves clinical status, with a sustained improvement in ventricular chamber size. MR can be successfully managed in patients after repair of AVSD independent of morphological type. Overall survival is acceptable, and further reoperation within the MVP group is influenced by early outcome of repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Moran_a@a1.tch.harvard.edu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daebritz
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mayer
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D004694:Endocardial Cushion Defects / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006327:Heart Block / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome