Degenerative Mitral Valve Regurgitation: Understanding Basic Concepts and New Developments

Mitral degenerative valve leaflets suspected as primary valvular tumor: a case report

BACKGROUND

Echocardiography plays an important role in the diagnosis of heart disease. Sometimes, however, it may also provide misdiagnosis information.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a rare case of a misdiagnosis of primary mitral valvular tumor with severe regurgitation by preoperative echocardiography. During the surgery, the true lesion was found to be mitral valve leaflet prolapse due to degenerative mitral valve disease.

CONCLUSION

For individual patient, the best clinical decision not only needs the extensive application of echocardiography, but also needs the combination of clinical symptoms and more auxiliary examination.

Degenerative mitral regurgitation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality with surgical mitral valve repair remaining the gold standard for the treatment of severe disease. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in the understanding of DMR as well as the progress made in its assessment with a focus on imaging techniques.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent insights into the anatomy and physiology of DMR challenge the assumption that fibroelastic deficiency and Barlow disease are part of a single DMR spectrum. Advances in echocardiography and cardiovascular MRI have the potential to improve quantification of mitral regurgitation, provide unique information on prognosis and impact of DMR, further the association between DMR and arrhythmic risk and aide in decision-making for DMR treatment.

SUMMARY

With growing interest in the use of noninvasive transcatheter therapies in the mitral valve space, comprehensive assessment of the mitral valve is critical to instruct decision-making and guide therapeutic strategy.

The aging heart

As the elderly segment of the world population increases, it is critical to understand the changes in cardiac structure and function during the normal aging process. In this review, we outline the key molecular pathways and cellular processes that underlie the phenotypic changes in the heart and vasculature that accompany aging. Reduced autophagy, increased mitochondrial oxidative stress, telomere attrition, altered signaling in insulin-like growth factor, growth differentiation factor 11, and 5'- AMP-activated protein kinase pathways are among the key molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac aging. Aging promotes structural and functional changes in the atria, ventricles, valves, myocardium, pericardium, the cardiac conduction system, and the vasculature. We highlight the factors known to accelerate and attenuate the intrinsic aging of the heart and vessels in addition to potential preventive and therapeutic avenues. A greater understanding of the processes involved in cardiac aging may facilitate our ability to mitigate the escalating burden of CVD in older individuals and promote healthy cardiac aging.

Echocardiographic Follow-up of Robotic Mitral Valve Repair for Mitral Regurgitation due to Degenerative Disease

BACKGROUND

Mitral valve (MV) repair can now be carried out through small incisions with the use of robotic assistance. Previous reports have demonstrated the excellent clinical result of robotic MV repair for degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). However, there has been limited information regarding the echocardiographic follow-up of these patients. The present study was therefore to evaluate the echocardiographic follow-up outcomes after robotic MV repair in patients with MR due to degenerative disease of the MV.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was undertaken using data from the echocardiographic database of our department. Between March 2007 and February 2015, 84 patients with degenerative MR underwent robotic MV repair. The repair techniques included leaflet resection in 67 patients (79.8%), artificial chordae in 20 (23.8%), and ring annuloplasty in 79 (94.1%). Eighty-one (96.4%) of the 84 patients were eligible for echocardiographic follow-up assessment, and no patients were lost to follow-up.

RESULTS

At a median echocardiographic follow-up of 36.0 months (interquartile range 14.3-59.4 months), four patients (4.9%) developed recurrent mild MR, and no patients had more than mild MR. Mean MR grade, left atrial diameter (LAD), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were significantly decreased when compared with preoperative values. Mean MR grade decreased from 3.96 ± 0.13 to 0.17 ± 0.49 (Z = -8.456, P < 0.001), LAD from 43.8 ± 5.9 to 35.5 ± 3.8 mm (t = 15.131, P < 0.001), LVEDD from 51.0 ± 5.0 to 43.3 ± 2.2 mm (t = 14.481,P< 0.001), and LVEF from 67.3 ± 7.0% to 63.9 ± 5.1% (t = 4.585, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Robotic MV repair for MR due to degenerative disease is associated with a low rate of recurrent MR, and a significant improvement in MR grade, LAD, and LVEDD, but a significant decrease in LVEF at echocardiographic follow-up.