title: Time-dependent change in fresh autologous pericardium applied for posterior mitral annuloplasty: degree of calcification and its influence on the repaired mitral valve.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the degree of calcification of fresh autologous pericardium applied for posterior mitral annuloplasty and its influence on the repaired mitral valve.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients (31 degenerative and 8 infective endocarditis; mean age at surgery: 62 ± 11 years) were enrolled in this study. Sixteen-slice multi-detector computed tomography was performed to identify calcification of autologous pericardium. The mean clinical follow-up was 4.6 ± 2.6 years (maximum 8.8 years) and the mean computed tomography follow-up period was 3.6 ± 2.5 years (maximum 7.6 years) after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pericardial calcification was detected in 15 patients. The earliest detection of calcification was 2.5 years after surgery. There was a weak correlation between pericardial calcification and postoperative years (Pearson's product correlation coefficient: 0.476; p = 0.0019). However, severe calcification of autologous pericardium did not occur in any case. There was no association between pericardial calcification and recurrent mitral regurgitation (p = 0.1145). The mean mitral valve orifice area and the mean transmitral pressure gradient in the 15 patients with calcification were 3.0 ± 0.6 cm(2) and 2.1 ± 1.0 mmHg, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcification of the fresh autologous pericardium increased with postoperative years. It had no adverse effects on repaired mitral valve in the short-term follow-up period. We will report the findings once again when the follow-up reaches 10 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-7-1, Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. takashiren@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Kiyoyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eishi
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamachika
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsukuma
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakaji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D058386:Mitral Valve Annuloplasty / Q000009:adverse effects; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome