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Background: Although mitral regurgitation (MR) affects a relevant and increasing number of elderly, an optimal management of this high-risk population is challenging., Methods and Results: The aim of this prospective, observational study was to compare one-year outcomes of MitraClip therapy in high surgical risk patients with moderate-to-severe or severe MR between patients aged <75 versus ≥75years. A total of 180 patients were included: 92 were <75years and 88 were ≥75years old. At one-year follow-up the primary efficacy endpoint (composite of death, surgery for mitral valve dysfunction and grade 3+ or 4+ MR) occurred in 41 patients (24.5%), with similar rates between those aged <75years (23.9%) and those ≥75years (25.2%), p=0.912. A total of 21 (12.2%) deaths were observed within 1year after the MitraClip procedure, without significant differences in cumulative mortality rates between elderly and younger patients (10.8% vs. 13.3%, respectively, p=0.574). Compared with baseline, the significant reduction in MR severity achieved after the procedure was sustained at one-year follow-up, in both elderly and younger patients and a significant improvement in NYHA functional class was observed in both groups. A total of 18 (10.0%) patients experienced a re-hospitalization for acute heart failure within one-year after the MitraClip procedure, with no significant differences between elderly and younger. At one-year follow-up both elderly and younger patients showed significant reductions in left ventricular volumes, with changes of similar extent between the two subgroups., Conclusions: MitraClip therapy can be considered a viable option also among subsets with more advanced age., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim of the Study: The Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR ETlogix annuloplasty ring was specifically designed to treat ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) associated with asymmetric mitral annular dilation and leaflet tethering. The study aim was to review, retrospectively, the results of mitral annuloplasty with this asymmetric ring in a representative number of patients., Methods: Between January 2005 and July 2012, the IMR ETlogix ring was implanted in 190 consecutive patients (mean age 69.5 +/- 7.6 years) with grade > or =2+ IMR (graded from 0 to 3+). Preoperatively, 37 patients (19.5%) were in NYHA class IV, and 73 (38.4%) suffered from unstable angina. The operative risk according to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II was 15.6 +/- 14.5%. Using two- dimensional echocardiography, postoperative changes in mitral annular diameter (MAD) and tenting height (TH) of the mitral valve in four-chamber, two-chamber and long-axis views, were assessed at mid-systole., Results: Thirty-eight patients (20.0%) received one or more concomitant major cardiac surgical procedure(s) other than, or in addition to, coronary artery bypass grafting or tricuspid valve annuloplasty. Nineteen (10.0%) hospital deaths occurred, and one patient underwent immediate reoperation for residual MR. During the follow up (mean 4.8 +/- 2.1 years) there were 26 cardiac deaths, 14 non-cardiac deaths, and three mitral valve replacements. The seven-year actuarial survival, freedom from grade > or =2+ MR and reoperation were 62.0%, 93.1% and 97.6%, respectively. Renal impairment (p = 0.012) and extracardiac arteriopathy (p = 0.047) were predictors of death; bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting was a protective factor (p = 0.033). Heart failure symptoms were improved (p <0.01). Left ventricular reverse remodeling was achieved in 50.6% of patients. The MAD and TH were each decreased in all three echocardiographic views (p < 0.001), the reductions being greater in the long-axis view., Conclusion: By restoring the mitral apparatus geometry and competence, asymmetric annuloplasty with the IMR ETlogix ring provides good mid-term outcomes and helps left ventricular reverse remodeling in IMR.

Objectives: Previous studies described single components of the mitral valve, but somewhat lacked the spatial analysis of their relationship. Moreover, further information is necessary regarding reconstructive surgery. The current work aimed at in-depth analysis of the anatomy of the posterior mitral leaflet (PML) and its changes due to degenerative disease, completing the already existing anatomical information about PML and proposing a reorganization of the actual terminology., Methods: Nine normal PMLs harvested from cadavers have been compared with 12 pathological specimens from partial resection of PML in the course of valve repair in adult patients. Dimensions of smooth and rough surfaces of the PML have been measured and compared and their dimensional relationships have been assessed; the chance of finding chordae tendineae inserting into the smooth, periannular portion of PML as well as their type have been checked. MEDLINE has been searched for the most relevant publications about PML anatomy., Results: Observation of normal specimens has confirmed the presence of three types of chordae tendineae: marginal, intermediate and basal, but between the last two, there is some of alternative nature. In degenerative mitral valve disease, the rough part is only 13% greater than the smooth one. In collagen degeneration, both parts contribute in more or less equal proportion to the dimensional increase of the middle scallop, so that the ratio between rough and smooth surface is maintained as in normal specimens., Conclusion: This study reorganizes the previously proposed terminology of PML chordae tendineae. The research identifies the complemental and alternative presence of 'strut' and 'basal' chordae of PML, and it specifies the dimensions of the different anatomical components of the leaflet, in particular of the intermediate scallop. The observations give an accurate anatomical reference for the space of mitral reconstruction with minimal functional impact.

Background and Aim of the Study: The study aim was to compare preoperative and intraoperative features, and long-term outcome of patients operated on for native (NVE) and primary prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE)., Methods: Between January 1978 and December 2002, 258 patients (mean age 47.5 +/- 16 years) were referred for NVE, and 95 for PVE. Demographics, clinical preoperative conditions, indications to surgery, microbiological data, surgical pathology, early postoperative course and long-term outcome were compared via hospital chart review and outpatient clinic follow up., Results: Female sex prevailed in the PVE group (49.5%) versus NVE (27.1%; p < 0.0001). Mitral valve involvement was more common in PVE (46.3% versus 24.8%, p = 0.0001), and multivalvular in 16.3% of NVE patients versus 4.2% of PVE (p = 0.001). Active endocarditis (80.6% versus 58.9%, p = 0.00004) and preoperative embolism (29.5% versus 11.6%, p = 0.0002) were significantly prevalent in the NVE group. Emergency operation (21.1% versus 10.5%, p = 0.009) and preoperative NYHA class IV or V (40% versus 19.8%, p < 0.0001) were significantly more frequent in PVE. Overall hospital mortality was 11.3% (n = 40), with 6.6% among NVE patients and 24.2% among PVE (p < 0.0001). Mean follow up (94% complete) was 5.8 +/- 5.3 years (6.0 +/- 5.5 years for NVE versus 5.1 +/- 4.6 years for PVE, p = 0.191), and total follow up was 1,707.85 patient-years. Actuarial survival at 1, 5, 10 and 15 years was respectively 91, 82, 67.5 and 48.8% in NVE, and 79.7, 64.2, 33.5 and 33.5% in PVE (p = 0.0016). A significantly lower survival in PVE versus NVE was found for the mitral site subgroup (p = 0.018), but not for the aortic site (p = 0.14). Actuarial freedom from reoperation for recurrent endocarditis at 1, 5, 10 and 15 years was 97.5, 91.4, 80.5 and 49.4% in NVE versus 90.8, 84.9, 59.4 and 43.9% in PVE (p = 0.015)., Conclusion: PVE patients were older, presented with more compromised clinical conditions, and had worse early and long-term outcomes than NVE patients. PVE had a higher incidence of recurrence and worse prognosis, especially if the mitral valve was involved.

Background and Aims of the Study: The study aim was to evaluate the operative risks of reoperation on heart valve prostheses., Methods: Between January 1985 and December 2000, 154 patients (79 males, 75 females, mean age 61.2+/-9.5 years) underwent cardiac valve reoperation for which indications were prosthetic failure (n = 133; prosthetic mitro-aortic dysfunction occurred in 16 cases), native valve disease in patients with a previous prosthetic valve implantation (n = 12), and both situations concomitantly (n = 9). Total valve replacements numbered 161 (64 in the aortic position, 96 in the mitral position, and one in the tricuspid position). There were 18 valve repairs (eight in the mitral position, 10 in the aortic position). One patient underwent prosthesis thrombectomy (mechanical valve)., Results: Overall operative mortality was 8.4% (n = 13); emergency operation (p <0.002), advanced NYHA class (p <0.026), indication for reoperation (p <0.026), gender (p <0.016) and number of previous reoperations (p = 0.05) were independent determinants for reoperation. Non-significant determinants were age and position of replacement., Conclusion: Correct planning of reoperation timing reduces operative risks due to NYHA class (3.8% mortality rate for class II-III versus 21.7% for class IV), and to urgent-emergency procedures (35.7% mortality versus 6.5% for elective operations). The high operative risk of prosthesis thrombosis is a deterrent to implanting mechanical prostheses in patients with disorders of hemostasis.

The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of degenerative and early inflammatory lesions and to discuss some histological aspects of normal and pathological mitral valve leaflets in healthy, normally slaughtered pigs. Mitral valves were collected from 112, 6 month-old, pigs reared under different conditions. Histological examination revealed the presence of myxoid degeneration in 29.5% of the valves with no significantly different prevalence according to rearing conditions; fibrosis was present in 12.5%; inflammation (non-vegetative valvulitis) occurred in 20 (17.9%) macroscopically normal valves. No vegetative endocarditis could be observed. A significantly higher degree of inflammation was observed in valves affected by myxoid degeneration (P < 0.05) and Anitschkow cells were prevalent in all the pathological valves (P < 0.01). Capillaries were observed in a wide majority of the valves (86.5%), but small arterioles were related to fibrotic thickening of the leaflets (P < 0.01). The following conclusions are discussed: (1) environmental factors seem not to influence the prevalence of endocardiosis; (2) inflammatory foci in myxoid valves are a reaction to both abnormal friction and products of degraded collagen and extracellular matrix; (3) the authors consider the presence of capillaries in pig valves a normal finding whereas proliferation of the vessels occurs under pathological conditions; (4) non vegetative valvulitis can be related to the presence of vessels in the valve and may have a role in both infectious endocarditis and fibrosis; (5) Anitschkow cells are normally observed in pig valves and are not specifically related to pathological lesions.