Valve Repair for Rheumatic Mitral Disease
Ilhan Mavioglu MD, Orhan V. Dogan MD, Murat Ozeren MD, Alp Dolgun MD, Ertan Yucel MD

Although mitral valve repair is currently the standard reparative technique for degenerative mitral disease, results of valve repair in rheumatic disease are also encouraging. The outcome after mitral valve repair for rheumatic disease at a young age was evaluated for suitability of repair. In total, 319 patients (mean age 31.3 ± 0.5 years) underwent mitral valve repair. Mitral stenosis was present in 87.5%, insufficiency in 5.3%, and stenosis/insufficiency in 7.2%. The perioperative mortality, reoperation and reoperation mortality rates were 0.9%, 6.7% and 0%, respectively. Mean follow up time was 51.9 ± 1.2 months; postoperatively, 98% of patients were in NYHA classes I and II. Rheumatic mitral valves should be repaired because of lower mortality, complication and reoperation rates, and also better cardiac function and late survival.