Simple repair approach for mitral regurgitation in Barlow disease

Objective: Mitral valve repair for myxomatous Barlow disease is a challenging procedure requiring complex surgery with less than optimal results. The use of ring-only repair has been previously reported but never analyzed or followed-up. We investigated this simple valve repair approach for patients with Barlow disease and multisegment involvement causing mainly central jet. Methods: Of 572 patients who underwent mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation at our medical center, 24 with Barlow disease (aged 47 +/- 14 years; 46% male) underwent ring-only repair. Patients were characterized by severely enlarged mitral valve annulus, multisegment prolapse involving both leaflets, and demonstrated mainly a central wide regurgitant jet. Surgical technique included only the implantation of a large mitral annuloplasty ring. Early and late outcome results were compared with those of the remaining patients who underwent conventional mitral valve repair for degenerative disease (controls). Results: All ring-only patients presented with moderate-severe/ severe mitral regurgitation (vena contracta, 0.6 +/- 0.1 cm; regurgitation volume, 52 +/- 17 mL), with mainly a central jet and almost preserved ejection fraction (59% +/- 6%). Cardiopulmonary bypass and crossclamp times were significantly shorter compared with controls (P <.0001). At follow-up (ring-only, 38 +/- 36 months and controls, 36 +/- 29 months), there were no late deaths in the ring-only group compared with 19 (4%) in the controls. Late follow-up revealed New York Heart Association functional class I or II in 95% of ring-only patients, compared with 90% of controls. Freedom from recurrent moderate or severe mitral regurgitation was 100% and 89% in the ring-only and control groups, respectively. Conclusions: Mitral annuloplasty for Barlow disease patients with multisegment involvement and mainly central regurgitant jet is both simple and reproducible with excellent late outcomes.