Mitral Valve Replacement with Complete Mitral Leaflet Retention

Mitral Valve Replacement with Complete Mitral Leaflet Retention: Operative Techniques
Yifei Yu MD, Changqing Gao MD, Gongsong Li MD, Langbiao Zhu MD, Dongqing Wang MD, Minghui Liu MD

This report describes surgical indications and operative techniques of complete retention of mitral valvular and subvalvular tissue during mitral valve replacement in 20 patients in such a way that chordal tension on the ventricle was evenly maintained. Postoperative results were excellent. Echocardiography showed no observable anterior leaflet and redundant subvalvular tissue in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT); thus, neither LVOT obstruction nor interference with prosthetic leaflet mobility occurred. When mitral valve replacement is required in patients with mitral insufficiency (MI) or MI with mild stenosis, mitral valvular and subvalvular tissue should be completely retained.