title: Artificial chordae for degenerative mitral valve disease: critical analysis of current techniques.
abstract: The surgical repair of degenerative mitral valve disease involves a number of technical points of importance. The use of artificial chordae for the repair of degenerative disease has increased as a part of the move from mitral valve replacement to repair of the mitral valve. The use of artificial chordae provides an alternative to the techniques pioneered by Carpentier (including the quadrangular resection, transfer of native chordae and papillary muscle shortening/plasty), which can be more technically difficult. Despite a growth in their uptake and the indications for their use, a number of challenges remain for the use of artificial chordae in mitral valve repair, particularly in the determination of the correct length to ensure optimal leaflet coaptation. Here, we analyse over 40 techniques described for artificial chordae mitral valve repair in the setting of degenerative disease.
authors.affiliation: Harefield Heart Science Centre, National Heart and Lung Institute,  Imperial College London, Harefield Hospital, Middlesex,  UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
mesh_terms: D002815:Chordae Tendineae / Q000601:surgery*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D058386:Mitral Valve Annuloplasty / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome