Mitral valve replacement with preservation of subvalvular apparatus in a patient with familial dextrocardia and situs solitus.

Familial dextrocardia with situs solitus is extremely rare entity. Dextrocardia offers a difficult situation to surgeon. A different strategy for cannulation and approach to the left atrium has to be followed. Surgery in such settings has rarely been reported. We present the case of a patient with dextrocardia and situs solitus wherein a left sided approach was adopted for a better exposure of the valve. The patient had a rheumatic regurgitant mitral valve with ruptured chordae to anterior mitral leaflet. Since the valve was severely thickened, it was replaced rather than repaired. The left sided approach provided good exposure of the valve.