Is mitral valve repair superior to replacement for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation with left ventricular dysfunction?
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to compare mitral valve repair and replacement as treatments for ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Specifically, we sought to determine whether the choice of mitral valve procedure affected survival, and discover which patients were predicted to benefit from mitral valve repair and which from replacement.


METHODS
A total of 218 consecutive patients underwent either mitral valve repair (MVP, n = 112) or mitral valve replacement (MVR, n = 106). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical material, operation methods, echocardiography check during operation and follow-up. Patients details and follow-up outcomes were compared using multivariate and Kaplan-Meier analyses.


RESULTS
No statistical difference was found between the two groups in term of intraoperative data. Early mortality was 3.2% (MVP 2.7% and MVR 3.8%). At discharge, Left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were improved more in the MVP group than MVR group (P < 0.05), however, in follow-up no statistically significant difference was observed between the MVR and MVP group (P > 0.05). Follow-up mitral regurgitation grade was significantly improved in the MVR group compared with the MVP group (P < 0.05). The Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 1, 3, and 5 years were similar between MVP and MVR group. Logistic regression revealed poor survival was associated with old age(#75), preoperative renal insufficiency and low left ventricular ejection fraction (< 30%).


CONCLUSIONS
Mitral valve repair is the procedure of choice in the majority of patients having surgery for severe ischemic mitral regurgitation with left ventricular dysfunction. Early results of MVP treatment seem to be satisfactory, but several lines of data indicate that mitral valve repair provided less long-term benefit than mitral valve replacement in the LVD patients.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Heart Institute, Nanjing, China.
Zhibing
Z
Qiu
Xin
X
Chen
Ming
M
Xu
Yingshuo
Y
Jiang
Liqiong
L
Xiao
LeLe
L
Liu
Liming
L
Wang
D000368:Aged; D058385:Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty; D002908:Chronic Disease; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications*