title: Neochordameter: a new technology in mitral valve repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitral valve repair has shown superior results compared to mitral valve replacement in patients with mitral valve prolapse. Using premeasured neochordae (the loop technique) has been proposed for both anterior and posterior leaflet repairs. However, there are two major problems that are usually experienced using this method. One is deciding the length of the neo-chordae, and the other is tying the knot at the intended length.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study introduced a new technology in mitral valve repair that reduces the complexity of making neo-chordae loops, especially in minimally invasive surgeries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neochordameter is a new device which utilizes preoperative transthoracic echocardiography to determine the exact length of required neochordae and enable surgeons to make neochordae loops before starting the cardiopulmonary bypass. In this study, we applied this technique in mitral valve repair of three patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of these patients were male and the other one was female. All of them had severe mitral regurgitation requiring anterior leaflet repair. Total eight neochordae loops were used in these patients. No change in the length of neochordae was required after saline test and all of these patients had none or trivial mitral regurgitation by intraoperative and follow up transesophageal echocardiography. No complication was seen in six-month follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability of this technology in developing premeasured neo-chordae loops with accurate sizes and not needing the post-implantation length adjustment which is efficient in reducing the complexity of both minimally invasive and conventional surgeries are the issues which is going to be regarded .
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alizadeh-Ghavidel
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samiei
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Javadikasgari
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Engineering Departments, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Kamiar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bashirpour
keywords: Artificial Chordae; Mitral Valve Annuloplasty; Prolapse