title: [The first clinical experience and technical peculiarities of mitral valve homograft implantation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical interventions because of mitral valve disease have been ascribed since 1951. Many changes within mitral valve replacement have passed including closed and open mitral commissurotomy, mitral valve repair operations implantation of mechanical, biological heart valve and finally use of mitral valve homograft. Despite changes in chirurgical tactics and medico-technical environment, mitral valve homograft implantation remains one of the most complex surgical interventions. Surgical and technical details of mitral valve homograft implantation are discussed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to estimate technical difficulties and anatomical positioning of mitral valve homograft considering a spectrum of indications of mitral valve replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  62-year-old woman 26 years ago underwent mitral valve replacement with Starr-Edwards mitral valve prosthesis, because of rheumatic heart disease by homograft. Due to malfunction of the mitral valve prosthesis, and progressive left ventricular failure patient was reoperated on 26(th) of February 2002. Fresh antibiotic preserved mitral valve homograft was implanted. Surgical techniques were guided using left ventricle size measurement indicated by echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technique described by Acar/Carpentier was used except of mitral valve annuloplasty ring implantation. Peri- and early postoperative period was free of homograft related complications. The left ventricle function was improving and the heart size decreased dramatically during first postoperative week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most important peculiarities for mitral valve homograft implantation are echocardiography data and intraoperative left ventricle measurements. Homograft implantation techniques are rather demanding therefore indications for mitral valve replacement have to be selected carefully and should be based on the presence of severe mitral valve dysfunction in order to achieve best hemodynamic results and prevent patient from anticoagulation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Research, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 4, 3007 Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Rimantas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benetis
authors.forename: Saulius
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giedraitis
authors.forename: Ramūnas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bolys
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000637:transplantation*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left