Mitral degenerative valve leaflets suspected as primary valvular tumor: a case report

Introduction: Echocardiography plays an important role in the diagnosis of heart disease. However, sometimes misdiagnosis information is also provided. Methods and Results: We report a rare case of preoperative echocardiography misdiagnosed as a primary mitral valvular tumor with severe regurgitation. During the surgery procedure, the true lesion was found to be mitral valve leaflet prolapse due to degenerative mitral valve disease. Conclusions: For individual patient, it may need to combine clinical symptoms and wide use of echocardiography and CT or MRI to make the optimal clinical decision.

Usefullness of 2D/3D-TEE for guiding transapical beating heart neochordae implantation in mitral regurgitation

Background Transapical beating-heart neochord implantation (Neochord) to repair mitral valve regurgitation has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective minimally invasive alternative to open surgical repair in selected patients with mitral leaflet prolapse. Successful neochordae implantation depends on accurate localization of the site of regurgitation and careful assessment of MV morphology. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that 3D-transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) has become a fundamental tool, essential in both the preoperative study and to guide the procedure and for follow-up. Methods All consecutive patients with severe symptomatic DMR due to prolapse or flail of one or both mitral leaflets that underwent the NeoChord procedure between March 2017-Jan 2021 were included. Patients were categorized according to MV anatomy by 3D-TEE; Type A isolated central posterior leaflet prolapse and/or flail, Type B posterior multi-segment prolapse and/or flail, Type C anterior and/or bi-leaflet prolapse or flail, Type D paracommissural prolapse and/or flail and/or significant leaflet and/or annular calcifications. Results 43 patients were included. Median age was 67.7±13.4 y. Median EuroSCOREII 2.7%±1.91. There were 35 Type A patients (81.4%), 4 Type B (9.3%), 1 Type C (2.3%), and 3 Type D (7%). Type A was considered the more favorable morphology. 2D/3D TEE were employed for guiding the device from the apex of the left ventricle across the mitral annulus (Figure 1, A–C), orientation of the tip of the device with regards to the prolapsing segment of the leaflet positioning and leaflet grasping (Figure 1, D, E) and evaluation of the final length and tension of the neochordae to obtain a satisfactory mitral valve competence. (Figure 1, F). Procedural success was achieved in 38 patients (88,4%). 5 patients, 2 type A and 3 type D, underwent conversion to open surgery for immediate failure. 1 high-risk patient considered inoperable died before discharge. At 19 (IQR 13–23) months median follow-up, MR ≤II was present in 29 (76.3%). Overall 2 year survival was 100%. Freedom from reintervention was 89% for overall population. Conclusions TEE-Guided Transapical beating-heart neochord implantation is a feasible, low-risk technique. 2D and 3D TEE are the fundamental and essential diagnostic tools for the correct selection and monitoring of the procedure, as well as its possible complications. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1

AN UNUSUAL CASE OF MITRAL VALVE CHORDAL RUPTURE

In this report, we present a rare case of severe mitral regurgitation due to isolated mitral valve chordal rupture without valve leaflet prolapse in a patient with Fabry cardiomyopathy. This finding could be due to subvalvular apparatus storage of glycosphingolipids rather than fibro-elastic deficiency, underlying how close cardiological follow-up of Fabry patients must be comprehensive and not only focused on left ventricular hypertrophy and arrhythmias. We feel that our finding could be of interest for the readership of your Journal.

A randomized surgical trial of mitral valve repair with leaflet resection versus leaflet preservation on functional mitral stenosis – primary results of the CAMRA CardioLink-2 trial

Background The gold standard treatment for mitral valve regurgitation due to prolapse involves surgery with annuloplasty and either leaflet resection or leaflet preservation, with placement of artificial neochordae. It has been suggested that leaflet resection may be prone to functional mitral stenosis, whereby a patient may have a higher mitral gradient at peak exercise compared to a leaflet preservation strategy. Although both techniques are widely used, there has been no prospective randomized study conducted to compare these two techniques, particularly in regard to functional mitral stenosis. Methods A total of 104 patients with posterior leaflet prolapse were randomized to undergo mitral repair with either leaflet resection (N=54) or leaflet preservation (N=50) at 7 specialized Canadian cardiac centers. Patient age, proportion of female patients, and mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score was 63.9±10.4 years, 19%, and 1.4% for those who underwent leaflet resection, and 66.3±10.8 years, 16%, and 1.9% for those who underwent leaflet preservation, respectively. The primary endpoint was the mean trans-mitral repair gradient at peak exercise 12-months after repair. Results Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. At 12-months, the mean trans-mitral repair gradient at peak exercise in patients who underwent leaflet resection and preservation was 9.1±5.2 and 8.3±3.3 mmHg (P=0.4), respectively. The two groups had similar mean mitral valve gradient at rest (3.2±1.9 mmHg following resection and 3.1±1.1 mmHg following leaflet preservation, P=0.7). There was no between-group difference for the 6-minute walk distance (451±147 m and 481±95 m for the resection and preservation groups, respectively, P=0.3). Conclusion We report the first prospective surgical randomized trial to evaluate commonly used mitral valve repair strategies for posterior leaflet prolapse. Leaflet resection and leaflet preservation both yield acceptable results with no difference in postoperative valve gradient and functional status 12-months after surgical mitral valve repair. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada