Homemade mitral ring.
A simple and quick technique to fashion a mitral ring was developed using a stainless steel wire covered by a Gore-Tex strip. This technique allows a 15-fold reduction in the cost of a mitral ring compared with commercially available rings. As such, cardiac surgery becomes more readily available to patients in developing countries such as Africa and Asia. These homemade rings were implanted in 6 patients with similar results to commercially available rings.
Roux
Daniel
D
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hôpital de Rangueil-Toulouse University, Toulouse, France. fournial.g@chu-toulouse.fr
Grinda
Jean-Michel
JM
Leobon
Bertrand
B
Prandy
Natacha
N
Collet
Jean-Yves
JY
Fournial
Gérard
G
Deloche
Alain
A
D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000191:economics