Partial homograft replacement of mitral valve.

To date, treatment of mitral valve disease with mitral homograft implantation has been unsatisfactory. We describe two cases of mitral valve repair in man with a cryopreserved partial mitral homograft. Massive mitral insufficiency was surgically corrected by replacement of the severely affected posterior leaflet and the subvalvular apparatus with their corresponding mitral-valve homograft tissue. 22 and 4 months after surgery, the repaired valves remain competent with flexible and normal functioning leaflets and subvalvular apparatus, and the patients are symptom-free.