[Dilated cardiomyopathy with improved exercise tolerance after cardiac resynchronization therapy and mitral valve replacement with bileaflet preservation].

It has been reported that cardiac resynchronization therapy( CRT) improves cardiac systolic function and reverses cardiac remodeling by correcting intra- and interventricular asynchrony, and that mitral valve replacement (MVR) with bileaflet preservation dose not impair left ventricular systolic function through preserving the continuity of the mitral complex.The present report describes a case of a 68-year-old female with severe chronic heart failure and mitral valve regurgitation due to end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy who showed improved exercise tolerance following CRT and MVR with bileaflet preservation. Based on this case, we considered that the combination therapy of CRT and MVR with bileaflet preservation might be one of the effective strategies for severe chronic heart failure and mitral valve regurgitation due to end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.