Mitral Valve Commissurotomy: Which One between the Three Techniques Gives a Better Long-Team Outcome?

Objective: we sought to compare long-term results of three techniques: CMC, OMC and PMC in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Patients and Method: Between January 1994 and December 2015, 183 patients underwent mitral valve surgery for rheumatic mitral restenosis. All patients were investigated by echocardiography-Doppler performed by a senior cardiologist. The patients were divided into 3 groups: patients who have previously closed mitral commissurotomy (CMC n = 101), patients with previously open mitral commissurotomy (OMC n = 28) and those treated by Balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PMC = 54). Results: The three groups were comparable in term of major demographic data. Mitral restenosis occurred precociously in groups treated by PMC (7 ± 4 years), followed by group with OMC 11.4 ± 4 years and CMC group but it occurred later CMC 16.8 ± 7.8 years (p Conclusion: CMC produces better long-term outcome than OMC and PMC. However, it would be premature to conclude to its superiority.

Five-year Follow-up after Percutaneous Mechanical Mitral Commissurotomy

Objectives To assess five-year results after successful percutaneous mechanical mitral commissurotomy (PMMC). Methods Thirty-four selected patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis underwent PMMC successfully in Guangdong cardiovascular institute between February 2001 and August 2002. Serial echocardiograms were performed in all patients at baseline, discharge and annually thereafter. Results Five-year follow-up rate was 97.1%. Five-year survival rate was 100%. Before and after PMMC and at follow-up, mean mitral valve area by two-dimensional echocardiography was (0.87±0.15) cm2, (2.11±0.38) cm2 and (1.81±0.36) cm2, respectively (P<0.01). Five-year mitral restenosis rate was 6.1%. Conclusion PMMC can achieve excellent and sustained long-term results in selected patients with mitral echocardiographic score exceeding or being equal to 9.

CHANGES OF PLASMA BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVELS BEFORE AND AFTER PERCUTANEOUS TRANSVENOUS MITRAL COMMISSUROTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH MITRAL STENOSIS

To clarify the contribution of left atrial pressure to the secretion of beta-endorphin, we have investigated the relation between plasma beta endorphin levels and hemodynamic changes in 35 patients with mitral stenosis undergoing percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). Before PTMC, plasma beta-endorphin levels obtained from the antecubital vein (28.91 ± 5.59 pg / ml) and from the femoral vein (28.20 ± 5.44 pg / ml) in the patients with mitral stenosis were significantly higher than those obtained from the antecubital vein in the healthy volunteers (22.59 ± 3.86 pg / ml, n = 34, P< 0.001 for each). The levels of beta-endorphin in the femoral vein correlated well with the mean left atrial pressure (r=0.777, P< 0.001) and the mean right atrial pressure (r = 0.450, P<0.01) before the procedure. The antecubital venous levels of beta-endorphin in patients in New York Heart Association functional Classess Ⅱ (26.45 ± 5.39 pg / ml, n = 20) and Ⅲ (32.20 ± 4.02 pg / ml, n = 15) were significantly higher than those in control subjects (P< 0.005 and P< 0.001, respectively). The differences between Classes Ⅱ and Ⅲ were significant (P < 0.001). The plasma levels of beta-endorphin in the patients complicated with atrial fibrillation were also significantly higher than those in patients with normal sinus rhythm (33.31 ± 3.22 pg / ml, n= 13 vs 26.32± 5.07 pg / ml, n = 22, P< 0.001). In ten to fifteen minutes after commissurotomy, plasma levels of beta-endorphin in the femoral vein significantly increased from 28.20 ± 5.44 to 33.14 ± 5.72 pg / ml (P< 0.001). In seventy-two hours after the procedure, plasma beta-endorphin levels in the antecubital vein fell to 24.37 ± 2.59 pg / ml (P< 0.001 vs before PTMC and P<0.05 vs control subjects). Plasma beta-endorphin levels in the patients with atrial fibrillation (26.62 ± 2.36 pg / ml, P< 0.001 vs before PTMC and P< 0.002 vs control subjects) were still higher (P< 0.001) than those in patients with normal shins rhythm (23.05 ± 1.65 pg / ml, P< 0.001 vs before PTMC and P>50 vs control subjects. There was a significant correlation between the levels of beta-endorphin in the antecubital vein and heart rate (r = 0.502, P< 0.001), mean transmitral pressure gradient (r = 0.543, P< 0.001) or mitral valve area (r = -0.710, P< 0.001) before and 72 hours after the procedure.

Echocardiographic and Clinical Evaluation of Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis in Younger and Elderly Patients

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is common form of heart disease among population, especially in developing countries like India. Mitral stenosis (MS) is majorly caused by rheumatic heart disease with mitral commissural adhesion, fibrosis and calcification of the chordae tendineae. The aim of present study was clinical and echocardiographic evaluation for mitral stenosis in RHD patients with different age group. Methods: This was a retrospective, nonrandomized, and single-centre study in which 203 consecutive patients presented rheumatic mitral stenosis. All the patients were divided into different age group viz. 65 years. Cardiovascular examination and echocardiography were done in each patient. Mitral valve area (MVA), mitral valve gradient (MVG) and left atrial (LA) diameter were assessed by echocardiography. Mitral valve score was recorded to analyse the degenerative changes in mitral valve structure. Results: A total of 203 patients (133 females) were enrolled and divided into three age groups. Patients with age above 65 years were considered as elderly and those patients with age below 40 years were considered as younger. Echocardiographic assessment showed mean 4.7 and 4.9 cm LA diameter, 0.92 and 0.86 cm2 MVA and 11.2 and 9.7 mm Hg MVG in younger and elderly patients respectively. Total mitral valve score has shown significant (p 2 had shown significant difference (p Conclusion: Present study provides unique contemporary data on characteristics and management of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Majority of elderly patients are unsuitable for percutaneous commissurotomy due to degenerative changes in mitral valve structure.

Off-pump surgery for coronary artery disease combined with mitral stenosis

Rheumatic heart disease is still highly prevalent in .developing countries where the incidence of coronaryartery disease （CAD） is also arising. Consequently the occurrence of coexistent CAD and mitral stenosis （MS） dominantly caused by rheumatic fever is more frequent in these countries. Comorbidities such as pulmonary and renal dysfunction occur frequently in these aging populations. Off-pump surgery is widely applied in patients with concomitant CAD and severe comorbidities due to lower incidence of postoperative morbidity. Closed mitral commissurotomy （CMC） is a well established treatment for patients with mitral stenosis. We report here a case of moderate stenosis combined with seriously diffuse 3-vessel CAD and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） in an elder male treated with off-pump coronary artery bypass （OPCAB） plus CMC.