Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) originated from surgical edge-to-edge repair. MitraClip is the first mature TEER device, and the TEER based on MitraClip is far ahead of many transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) technologies in terms of safety, effectiveness and popularity, so it is named separately in the latest guidelines. The TEER has the following advantages: consistent with basic medical principles, few implants, precise target, less invasive and repeatable. However, there are also some shortcomings, such as the relatively complex design of transfemoral device, target single and relatively narrow indications. At present, the main clinical data of TEER are mainly from the clinical practice of MitraClip. Based on the three-year outcomes of COAPT study, both 2020 ACC/AHA guideline and 2020 ACC expert consensus decision pathway on the management of mitral regurgitation recommend in patients with chronic heart failure with left ventricular dysfunction and severe mitral regurgitation in nonresponders to medicine treatment. Edward's PASCAL, another TEER device, has two models. Among the domestic TEER devices, the ValveClamp of Hanyu medical technology has many distinct advantages, such as simple operation, large clamping area, high clamping efficiency and no need of X-ray. DragonFly, another domestic TEER device, has also completed its feasibility study. There are five trends of TEER in the future: further expansion of indications, combination with other interventional techniques, repeatable operations, transcatheter mitral valve replacement after TEER, and continuous improvement and innovation of equipment.
Objective To compare the effect of palliative mitral valve surgeries and medication therapies for secondary non-ischemic mitral regurgitation. Methods The clinical data of patients with non-ischemic functional mitral regurgitation treated in our hospital between 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)＜40% underwent a dobutamine stress test, and a positive result was determined when the LVEF improved by more than 15% compared to the baseline value. Positive patients were divided into a surgery group and a medication group. The surgery group underwent surgical mitral valve repair or replacement, while the medication group received simple medication treatment. Follow-up on survival and cardiac function status through outpatient or telephone visits every six months after surgery, and patients underwent cardiac ultrasound examination one year after surgery. The main research endpoint was a composite endpoint of all-cause death, heart failure readmission, and heart transplantation, and the differences in cardiac function and cardiac ultrasound parameters between the two groups were compared. ResultsUltimately 41 patients were collected, including 28 males and 13 females with an average age of 55.5±11.1 years. Twenty-five patients were in the surgery group and sixteen patients in the medication group. The median follow-up time was 16 months, ranging 1-96 months. The occurrence of all-cause death in the surgery group was lower than that in the medication group (HR=0.124, 95%CI 0.024-0.641, P=0.034). The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant in the composite endpoint (HR=0.499, 95%CI 0.523-1.631, P=0.229). The New York Heart Association (NYHA) grade of the surgery group was better (NYHA Ⅰ-Ⅱ accounted for 68.0% in the surgury group and 18.8% in the medication group, P<0.01) as well as the grade of mitral valve regurgitation (87.5% of the patients in the medication group had moderate or above regurgitation at follow-up, while all the patients in the surgery group had moderate below regurgitation, P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in preoperative and follow-up changes in echocardiograph parameters between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion For non-ischemic functional mitral regurgitation, if the cardiac systolic function is well reserved, mitral valve surgery can improve survival and quality of life compare to simple medication therapy.
Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for mitral regurgitation (MR) is known as M-TEER. Its strengths include: precise targets and fewer implants; simple and clear principles for catheterization; originating from dependable medical concepts and broad applicability. Furthermore, TEER offers advantages in real-time hemodynamic and effectiveness measurement throughout the procedure over surgical edge-to-edge repair (SEER). When it comes to patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation , M-TEER should aim to deliver more optimum procedural outcomes. In functional mitral regurgitation, a modest transvalvular gradients or moderate residual shunt can be tolerated with M-TEER, which reduces the risk of problems and has no bearing on the patient's prognosis.
ObjectiveTo report the short-term outcomes of a standardized, simplified and reproducible strategy of mitral valvuloplasty (MVP), which was focused on leaflet foldoplasty and anatomic anomalies of congenital mitral regurgitation (MR).MethodsConsecutive 74 patients who underwent MVP by our standardized strategy in our institution from 2016 to 2018 were included retrospectively. There were 30 males and 44 females with a median age of 18.5 (6-146) months and weight of 15.4 (7-51) kg.ResultsAnatomic anomalies of MR included: (1) subvalvular apparatus: 72 (97.3%) patients with mal-connected chordae tendineae, 31 (41.9%) with absent chordae tendineae and 14 (18.9%) with fused or dysplastic papillary muscle; (2) leaflet: 10 (13.5%) patients with cleft of anterior leaflet, 61 (82.4%) with leaflet prolapse including 56 (91.8%) with anterior leaflet prolapse; (3) annulus: 71 (95.9%) patients with annular dilatation. Leaflet foldoplasty was performed in 61 (82.4%) patients with leaflet prolapse. All patients were successfully discharged and 4 (5.4%) patients were with moderate MR. The follow-up time was 22.0 (9.1-41.8) months. During the follow-up period, 3 patients had moderate MR and 1 patient had reoperation for severe MR. All patients were in normal cardiac function with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 66.0%±6.1%. In addition, the mean left ventricular end-diastolic dimension was 31.8±6.0 mm, which was significant smaller than that before the operation (t=6.090, P<0.000 1).ConclusionThe standardized leaflet foldoplasty with resection of mal-connected chordae tendineae and posterior annuloplasty technique is safe and feasible with favorable short-term outcomes in MR patients.
Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common heart valve disease. In recent years, the rise of interventional therapy has expanded the indications of interventional treatment for patients with MR, but the epidemiological characteristics of MR (especially the number of patients with MR requiring treatment) in China are still unclear. In this paper, we analyzed and estimated the number of MR patients in China based on three epidemiological studies in Europe and America, and referring to the patients population surveys from Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, the Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Beijing Fuwai Hospital. Our analysis estimated that about 7.5 million patients with MR need intervention in China, including about 5.5 million patients with severe MR.
ObjectiveTo research the procedure for creating an animal model of mitral regurgitation by implanting a device through the apical artificial chordae tendineae, and to assess the stability and dependability of the device. MethodsTwelve large white swines were employed in the experiments. Through a tiny hole in the apex of the heart, the artificial chordae tendineae of the mitral valve was inserted under the guidance of transcardiac ultrasonography. Before, immediately after, and one and three months after surgery, cardiac ultrasonography signs were noted. Results All models were successfully established. During the operation and the follow-up, no swines died. Immediately after surgery, the mitral valve experienced moderate regurgitation. Compared with preoperation, there was a variable increase in the amount of regurgitation and the values of heart diameters at a 3-month follow-up (P<0.05). ConclusionIn off-pump, the technique of pulling the mitral valve leaflets with chordae tendineae implanted transapically under ultrasound guidance can stably and consistently create an animal model of mitral regurgitation.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of transapical mitral valve repair with moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) by using LifeClip system. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 7 symptomatic patients with moderate-to-severe or severe MR who received transapical mitral valve repair by using the LifeClip system in our hospital from July to November 2021. There were 5 males and 2 females with an average age of 76.0±7.5 years. ResultsThere were 2 patients with degenerative MR and 5 patients with functional MR. All of the procedures were successful and 6 patients received 1 LifeClip while the other one patient received 2. The operation time was 135.7±46.9 min, the mechanical ventilation time was 12 (3, 14) h, and the hospital stay time was 18.1±4.1 d. No serious complications or death occurred during the perioperative or follow-up period. MR reduction by ≥2 grades was achieved in all the patients at the one-month follow-up. The classification of cardiac function was improved in varying degrees. Conclusion Transapical mitral valve repair using the LifeClip system shows good safety and efficacy for severe MR patients, and MR degree is significantly improved at early follow-up. However, the benefit of LifeClip should be validated in a larger sample size of Chinese population and through long-term follow-up.
Objective To summarize the experiences of surgical treatment for post infarction ventricular aneurysm and mi tral regurgitation， thus to improve surgical curative effect and survival rates . Clinical data of 37 patients with myocardial infarction complicated with ven tricular aneurysm and severer than moderate mitral regurgitation were retrospectively an alyzed between December 2000 and June 2007, all 37 patients underwent coron ary artery bypass grafting and reconstruction of left ventricular after aneurysm resection, mitral valve repair or replacement. Results Three patients died during hospital stay after surgery,mortality rate was 81%, of th em two died in renal failure, one died in brain complications.Thirty patients we re followed up, followup rate was 88.2%(30/34), with 4 patients missed. Follow up time ranged from 1 month to 6 years after surgery, 2 patients died in foll o wup period, of them one died in anticoagulant treatment failure complicated w ith the large cerebral infarction, one died of lung infection and heart failure. The inner diameter of le ft atrium and enddiastolic left ventricle reduced obviously than those before operation （30.1±3.5mm vs.39.3±3.7mm, P=0.004;48.4±4.3mm vs.61.2±5.1mm, P=0.003）by color doppler echocardiography examination at 6th month a fter su rgery.There was no obvious change in size of untouched ventricular aneurysm(diam eterlt;5cm). No regurgitation or slight regurgitation were observed in 12 patient s, mild regurgitation was observed in 2 patients and moderate in 1 patients. Conclusion According to different types of post infarctio n ventricular aneurysm and mitral regurgitation, constitution o f different surgical treatment programs, can result in favorable early and long-term curative effect. There’s marked improvement in most patients’cardiac f unction and survival rate.
Objective To investigate the efficacy of leaflet augmentation technique to repair the recurrent mitral valve (MV) regurgitation after mitral repair in children. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children who underwent redo MV repair for recurrent regurgitation after initial MV repair, using a leaflet augmentation technique combined with a standardized repair strategy at Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from 2018 to 2022. The pathological features of the MV, key intraoperative procedures, and short- to mid-term follow-up outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 24 patients (12 male, 12 female) were included, with a median age of 37.6 (range, 16.5–120.0) months. The mean interval from the initial surgery was (24.9±17.0) months. All children had severe mitral regurgitation preoperatively. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was (150.1±49.5) min, and the aortic cross-clamp time was (94.0±24.2) min. There were no early postoperative deaths. During a mean follow-up of (20.3±9.1) months, 3 (12.5%) patients developed moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (2 severe, 1 moderate). One (4.2%) patient died during follow-up, and one (4.2%) patient underwent a second MV reoperation. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was significantly reduced postoperatively compared to preoperatively [ (43.5±8.6) mm vs. (35.8±7.8)mm, P<0.001]. Conclusion The leaflet augmentation technique combined with a standardized repair strategy can achieve satisfactory short- to mid-term outcomes for the redo mitral repair after previous MV repair. It can be considered a safe and feasible technical option for cases with complex valvular lesions and severe pathological changes.