Initial experience of mitral valve repair using the Carpentier-Edwards Physio II annuloplasty ring.

OBJECTIVE

The Carpentier-Edwards (CE) Physio II ring is a new prosthetic ring designed to accommodate the changing pathology seen in the spectrum of degenerative valve disease, particularly the larger anterior leaflet in repair of the Barlow valve. The aim of our study was to assess the safety and efficacy of mitral valve (MV) repair with the CE Physio II ring.

METHODS

Between April 2009 and March 2010, 100 patients underwent MV repair using the Physio II ring. Median age of patients was 70 years (54-85 years). The left ventricle (LV) was moderately (30-50%; n=21) or severely (<30%; n=6) impaired in 27 patients preoperatively. Mitral regurgitation (MR) was due to degenerative disease in 87 patients (bileaflet prolapse: 34 patients). Mean logistic EuroSCORE was 10.07 ± 8.9 and mean follow-up was 6.3 ± 2.4 months.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients were non-elective (eight emergencies), five were re-do operations and 23 Maze ± pulmonary vein isolations, and 14 tricuspid annuloplasties were performed. Neo-chordae were inserted in 50 patients (50%), whereas sliding annuloplasty was performed only in three patients. The median ring size was 32 mm (range 26-40 mm). On-table trans-oesophageal echocardiography (TOE) showed trivial/no MR in 87 patients, and mild in 13 patients, and there were no cases of systolic anterior motion (SAM). There were two re-explorations for bleeding and two patients required haemofiltration. There were no strokes or deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs). There was one hospital death (1%). At discharge, mean left ventricular end-diastolic (LVEDD) was 4.8 ± 0.7 cm compared with 5.5 ± 0.8 cm preoperatively (p=0.03) and mean left ventricular end-systolic (LVESD) was 3.3 ± 0.5 cm as compared with 3.6 ± 0.8 preoperatively (p=0.4). There was no MR in 87 patients and mild MR in 13 patients. The mean mitral valve area (MVA) was 2.8 ± 0.7 cm(2). The mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) was 26.6 ± 7.3 mmHg as compared with 50.9 ± 17.2 mmHg preoperatively (p=0.02). During follow-up, there were no thrombo-embolic complications, re-operation, endocarditis or deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

MV repair with the Physio II ring has excellent short-term results, including subgroups with large anterior mitral valve leaflet (AMVL). Moreover, the dimensional ratios of the ring may allow it to be used for MV repair for degenerative MV disease, irrespective of anterior leaflet size.