title: Valve repair in rheumatic heart disease in pediatric age group.
abstract: Valve repair in children is technically demanding but more desirable than valve replacement. From April 2004 to September 2005, 1 boy and 8 girls with rheumatic heart disease, aged 2-13 years (median, 9 years), underwent valve repair for isolated mitral regurgitation in 5, combined mitral and aortic regurgitation in 2, mitral stenosis in 1, and mitral regurgitation associated with atrial septal defect in 1. Chordal shortening in 7, annular plication in 6, commissurotomy in 1, reconstruction of commissural leaflets in 7 were performed for mitral valve disease. Plication and reattachment of the aortic cusps was carried out in 2 patients. Annuloplasty rings were not used. All patients survived the operation, 8 had trivial or mild residual mitral regurgitation, and 1 had trivial aortic regurgitation. Mean left atrial pressure decreased from 14 to 7 mm Hg postoperatively. During follow-up of 3-18 months, all children were asymptomatic and enjoyed normal activity. None required reoperation. In addition to chordal shortening and annular plication, reconstruction of the commissural leaflets is considered the most important aspect of valve repair. It can be achieved without annuloplasty rings, giving good early and midterm results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Apollo Children's Heart Hospital Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Pramod K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dharmapuram
authors.forename: Sunil K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.forename: Nagarajan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramdoss
authors.forename: Sreekanth S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Raghavan
authors.forename: Kona S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Murthy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002815:Chordae Tendineae / Q000601:surgery; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome