Reversal of abnormal cardiac parameters following mitral valve replacement for severe mitral stenosis in relation to pulmonary artery pressure: A retrospective study of noninvasive parameters - Early and late pattern

Left Ventricular Dimension after Mitral Valve Surgery in Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: The Impact of Myocardial Fibrosis

Background: Patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) experience changes in left ventricular (LV) dimensions after mitral valve surgery. We sought to investigate changes in LV dimensional parameters after mitral valve surgery and find out whether the same changes occurred in different extents of myocardial fibrosis.

Methods: This prospective observational study comprised 43 patients with rheumatic MS planned for mitral valve surgery between October 2017 and April 2018 in National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita (NCCHK) Jakarta. All the patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging based on the late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) protocol for myocardial fibrosis assessment prior to surgery. The patients were classified according to the estimated fibrosis volume considered to influence hemodynamic performance (myocardial fibrosis <5% and myocardial fibrosis ≥5%). Serial transthoracic echocardiographic examinations before and after surgery were performed to detect changes in LV dimensional parameters.

Results: This study consisted of 31 (72.1%) women and 12 (27.9%) men at a mean age of 46±9 years. The LGE protocol revealed myocardial fibrosis of less than 5% in 32 (74.4%) patients. A significant increase was detected in the LV end-diastolic diameter postoperatively, specifically in the patients with myocardial fibrosis of less than 5% (44.0±4.8 mm vs 46.6±5.6 mm; P value=0.027). A similar significant increase was not found in the other group (45.0±6.6 mm vs 46.7±6.9 mm; P value=0.256). Other changes in echocardiographic parameters showed similar patterns in both groups.

Conclusion: Our patients with rheumatic MS who had myocardial fibrosis of less than 5% demonstrated better improvements in terms of increased preload. Myocardial fibrosis of less than 5% is associated with more favorable improvements in LV geometry.

MitraClip® as bridging strategy for heart transplantation in Chagas cardiomyopathy: a case report

Background

Patients with end-stage heart failure, suffering from severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, are not eligible for heart transplant due to high mortality risk and primary graft dysfunction. Severe PH may be favoured by functional severe mitral regurgitation, which is present in many cardiopathies like end-stage Chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Case summary

We present a case of a young man with end-stage heart failure secondary to Chagas cardiomyopathy with severe functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) and severe PH. The patient received percutaneous correction with MitraClip® system reducing PH and making him a suitable candidate for heart transplant.

Discussion

In patients with advanced heart failure, FMR, and severe PH, optimal treatment according to current guide lines is recommended. MitraClip^® therapy appears to be safe and effective for control of severe PH as a bridge measure for cardiac transplantation.

Impact of preoperative pulmonary arterial hypertension on early and late outcomes in patients undergoing valve surgery for rheumatic heart disease

Background and Aims

There is conflicting evidence on adverse effect of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) on outcomes after cardiac surgery for rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The authors studied Indian patients with RHD and preoperative PAH, who undergo cardiac surgery with a hypothesis that they have poor short and long-term outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of 407 patients. The patients were divided in three groups based on PAH estimated on echocardiograph as; no or mild PAH (pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) <30 mm of Hg); moderate PAH (PASP 31-55 mm of Hg) and severe PAH (PASP >55 mm of Hg). The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality and major morbidities; while secondary endpoint was long-term survival.

Results

In-hospital mortality was 24 (5.9%); and was not different in patients with severe, (9.1%), moderate (4.5%) or mild PAH (2.8%) (P = 0.09). Patients with severe PAH had higher incidence of prolonged ventilation (P = 0.007). Factors independently associated with mortality were; >2-packed cell transfusion, prolonged ventilation and acute kidney injury but not moderate and severe PAH. Patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and severe PAH had significantly higher mortality as compared to no or mild PAH (P = 0.03) on long-term follow-up [81.37% (mean duration 19.40 ± 14.10 months)], mortality was 8% and not statistically different (P = 0.25) across PAH categories.

Conclusion

Moderate and severe PAH does not affect short and long term outcomes of patients undergoing valve surgery for RHD. Patients with MS with severe PAH had higher mortality compared to those with no PAH.