Intraoperative assessment of mitral valve area after mitral valve repair: comparison of different methods.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, 3 different methods to measure the mitral valve area (MVA) after mitral valve repair (MVRep) were studied. Data obtained immediately after repair were compared with postoperative data. The objective was to determine the feasibility and correlation between intraoperative and postoperative MVA data.


METHODS
A prospective study.


METHODS
A tertiary care medical center.


METHODS
Twenty-five elective adult surgical patients scheduled for MVRep.


METHODS
Echocardiographic data included MVAs obtained using the pressure half-time (PHT), 2-dimensional planimetry (2D-PLAN), and the continuity equation (CE). These data were obtained immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass and were compared with data obtained before hospital discharge (transthoracic echocardiogram 1) and 6 to 12 months after surgery (transthoracic echocardiogram 2). Intraoperative care was guided by hemodynamic goals designed to optimize cardiac function.


RESULTS
The data show good agreement and correlation between MVA obtained with PHT and 2D-PLAN within and between each time period. MVA data obtained with the CE in the postoperative period were lower than and did not correlate or agree as well with other MVA data.


CONCLUSIONS
The MVA recorded immediately after valve repair, using PHT, correlated and agreed with MVA data obtained in the postoperative period. These results contrast with previously published data and could highlight the impact of hemodynamic function during the assessment of MVA.
Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown Medical School, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. amaslow@rcn.com
Andrew
A
Maslow
Anthony
A
Gemignani
Arun
A
Singh
Feroze
F
Mahmood
Athena
A
Poppas
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography