Surgical treatment for isolated mitral valve endocarditis: a 16-year single-centre experience

Despite progress in management, mitral valve endocarditis (MVE) is still a life-threatening disease. We report our experience in surgical treatment of infective isolated MVE. A total of 140 operations in 128 patients for MVE performed between January 2000 and December 2015 were included in a retrospective study. There were 109 (78%) operations for native and 31 (22%) operations for prosthetic valve endocarditis. Preoperative and postoperative characteristics and mortality of patients were registered. Cox regression identified factors associated with mortality. Mean follow-up period was 68 months (range 1-168 months) and 100% complete. There were 13 deaths within 30 days after the 140 operations (9%). Severe perioperative complications occurred in 59 (42%) operations. Overall cumulative survival was 73% +/- 4 at 5 years and 62 +/- 5% at 10 years after the first operation. Age, diabetes, EuroSCORE II and perivalvular abscess were independent predictors for long-term mortality. Valve repair was performed in 76 (54%) operations and replacement in 64 (46%) operations. Thirty-day mortality for repair was 1%, and 5-year and 10-year cumulative survival was 86 +/- 4% and 77 +/- 6%, respectively. In the replacement group the 30-day mortality was 19% and cumulative survival at 5 years and 10 years was 55 +/- 7% and 41 +/- 8%, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in 21% and 67%, respectively, after operations for repair and replacement. Ten (8%) patients had 12 reoperations for recurrent endocarditis. MVE requiring surgical treatment is a challenging disease with high hospital mortality after valve replacement. Mitral valve repair can be performed in suitable endocarditis patients with excellent results. Age, diabetes and EuroSCORE were independently associated with mortality in a multivariable model.