Examination of mitral valve repair with port-access method-Aiming at early and less invasive mitral valve repair

Objective: We reviewed the results of mitral valvuloplasty by port-access minimally invasive cardiac surgery to examine the validity of operating during an early phase. Methods: From 1988 through March 2007, a total of 126 patients requiring mitral valvuloplasty were treated with port-access minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Their mean age was 51 ± 13 years, and 88 were male. The operative procedures were resection-suture in 51 cases, artificial chordal replacement in 5 cases, chordal translocation in 3 cases, leaflet plication in 3 cases, and artificial chordal reconstruction by the loop technique in 64 cases. Results: There was one hospital death, and two patients required reoperation at 1 and 21 postoperative days because of hemolysis and intractable systolic anterior motion, respectively. Except for the two patients undergoing reoperation, the duration of the postoperative hospital stay was 9.7 ± 3 days. The results of the other cases were satisfactory during each follow-up period. Conclusion: Complete valvuloplasty with port-access MIS is thought to be an increasingly important procedure for treating mitral regurgitation.