Commissural autologous pericardial patch repair: a novel technique for active mitral valve endocarditis involving the mitral annulus.

In patients with massive destruction caused by mitral endocarditis, surgical valve repair remains a challenging issue. Although several procedures have previously been introduced, no standard method for complicated lesions has been established. We describe a technique of mitral valve repair for extensive destructive endocarditis involving both leaflets and the mitral annulus that has provided satisfactory initial results in 2 patients. This procedure is believed to be technically simple and beneficial in terms of mitral repair for active endocarditis.