Mitral stenosis surgery

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Anterior (frontal) view of the opened heart. White arrows indicate normal blood flow. (Mitral valve labeled at center right.)

Mitral stenosis surgery

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Treatment

Preoperative Evaluation

Procedure

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D.[2];

Overview

Mitral valve surgery can be either a repair for the mitral valve or totally replace it in the heart.

Beside Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV), surgical treatments for mitral stenosis include:

  • Closed commissurotomy.
  • Open commissurotomy (valve repair).
  • Mitral valve replacement.

In open surgery, the surgeon makes a large cut in the sternum to reach the heart. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is done through much smaller surgical cuts than the large cuts needed for open surgery.

Indications for Mitral stenosis surgery

There is improvement in the mortality rates for mitral stenosis by intervention by percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy or surgery. The 2006 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines on the management of valvular heart disease recommended intervention in symptomatic patients with moderate to severe mitral stenosis [1].

In asymptomatic patients, intervention is recommended in moderate to severe MS and pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery systolic pressure >50 mmHg at rest or >60 mmHg with exercise).

The ACC/AHA guidelines indicates surgery when one of the following is presents [1]:

  • The mitral valve is severely calcified.
  • Moderate to severe mitral regurgitation coexists with MS.
  • PMBV is not available or the patient has unfavorable valve morphology.
  • There is left atrial thrombus that persists despite anticoagulation.

Valve replacement improves long-term survival along with symptomatic improvement if the patient could not be treated by either PMBV or valve repair.

Preoperative preparation

The patient may need to have some tests before the procedure. The Cardiologist usually conducts a physical examination and diagnose the condition within few days, he or she will assess the general health of the patient and will recommend the most appropriate treatment for the patient and if he or she needs surgery. Some of the tests that can be done before the procedure include:

Many patients with mitral stenosis requiring surgery also have coronary artery disease[2]. Usually coronary disease treated at the same operation if CABG (Coronary artery bypass grafting) is indicated. Studies showed that concurrent bypass surgery adds little morbidity to the valvular procedure and does not increase the mortality [1]. The 2006 ACC/AHA guidelines on the treatment of valvular heart disease included recommendations for coronary angiography prior to valve surgery in those who are suspected to have coronary artery disease and in those at risk for coronary disease [1]. A noninvasive angiography using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging may be an alternative.

Before the surgery:

  • The surgeon needs to know if the patient is taking any drugs, supplements, or herbs before the procedure.
  • The patient may be able to store blood in the blood bank for transfusions during and after the surgery. The family members can also donate blood (autologous donation).
  • For the 2-week period before surgery, the patient should be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for the blood to clot. These might cause increased bleeding during the surgery. Some of these drugs are aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).
  • The day before the surgery, the patient should shower and shampoo well and wash the whole body below the neck with a special soap.
  • The patient may also be asked to take an antibiotic to guard against infection.
  • The patient should be informed which drugs he or she should still take on the day of the surgery.
  • The patient should stop smoking.

On the day of the surgery:

  • An intravenous (IV) line will be placed into a blood vessel in the patient's arm or chest to give fluids and medicines.
  • The patient should be asked not to drink or eat anything after midnight the night before surgery. This includes chewing gum and using breath mints. The patient can rinse mouth with water if it feels dry without swallowing.
  • Make sure that the patient is taking the drugs that he or she needs to take with a small sip of water.
  • Hair near the incision site may be shaved immediately before the surgery.
  • The patient should be informed when to arrive to hospital on the day of the surgery.

The procedure

The Procedure can be done either by the traditional open heart surgery or by the Minimally invasive surgery. Before the surgery, the patient will receive general anesthesia. This will make the patient asleep and pain-free during the entire procedure. Beside Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV); there are three approaches for Mitral stenosis surgical treatment:

  • Closed commissurotomy

It is the earliest surgical procedure. It is performed on a beating heart. In this procedure; the surgeon makes a left thoracotomy incision and introduce a dilator to the mitral valve via either a transatrial or transventricular approach. Closed commissurotomy is usually indicated for the patients with minimal mitral valve calcifications and in those who lack significant subvalvular involvement. This approach is contraindicated in the following conditions:

  • Mitral regurgitation (moderate or severe); as regurgitation may be worsened by the procedure.
  • Atrial thrombosis.

The limitation of closed commissurotomy is the difficulty for the surgeon to fully expose and visualize the Mitral valve during the procedure. Some studies showed that Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV) is associated with better long-term outcomes than closed commissurotomy [3], recently, closed commissurotomy becomes less performed than before in the developed countries. Also in pregnancy; the PMBV is preferred over closed commissurotomy for mitral valve stenosis treatment [4].

  • Open commissurotomy (valve repair)

The surgeon performs the procedure via median sternotomy. Via this surgical approach; it is better for the surgeon to fully expose and visualize the mitral valve during the procedure as compared to closed commissurotomy approach. Other advantages for this approach includes:

  • The surgeon can repair the valve by the dipridation of calcium deposits.
  • The surgeon can split fused chordae tendineae or papillary muscles.
  • The surgeon can insert annuloplasty ring to correct the valvular stenosis. This is needed in case of severe mitral regurgitation (grade 3 or 4) as the valve repair alone is in adequate.
  • The surgeon can remove a left atrial thrombus if presents.

Some studies showed that Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV) is associated with better long-term outcomes than Open commissurotomy [5], along with shorter hospital stay and less morbidity from thoracotomy (in Open commissurotomy) [3][6].

  • Mitral valve replacement

This procedure is indicated if the mitral stenosis could not be corrected by other surgical approaches previously mentioned and the patient has one of the following:

  • Moderate to severe mitral stenosis (≤1.5 cm2).
  • NYHA class III or IV symptoms.
  • Mild symptoms (NYHA class I or II) that associated with severe mitral stenosis (mitral valve area ≤1.0 cm2) or severe pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery systolic pressure >60 to 80 mmHg).
  • Severe mitral stenosis (mitral valve area ≤1.0 cm2) or severe pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery systolic pressure >60 to 80 mmHg) even if the patient is asymptomatic.

Mitral valve replacement significantly improves symptoms and has a favorable survival rate at five years [1][7]. The 2006 ACC/AHA guidelines recommended amputation or ligation the left atrial appendage during mitral valve replacement or open commissurotomy, as this may decrease the risk of potential embolism [1], but it is not proofed if this may reduce the risk of stroke [8].

In the traditional open heart surgery:

  • The surgeon will make a 10-inch-long cut in the middle of the chest (sternum).
  • Next, the surgeon will separate the breastbone (sternum) to be able to see the heart.
  • Most people are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine or bypass pump. The heart is stopped while the patient is connected to this machine. This machine does the work of the heart while the heart is stopped.
  • A small cut is made in the left side of the heart so the surgeon can repair or replace the mitral valve.

In minimally invasive mitral valve surgery; there are several different ways to perform the procedure:

  • The heart surgeon may make a 2-inch to 3-inch-long cut in the right part of your chest near the sternum. Muscles in the area will be divided so the surgeon can reach the heart. A small cut is made in the left side of the heart so the surgeon can replace the mitral valve.
  • In Endoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes one to four small holes in the chest, then he or she uses special instruments and a camera to do the surgery.
  • For Robotically-assisted valve surgery, the surgeon makes two to four tiny cuts (about a ½ to a ¾ inch) in the chest. The surgeon uses a special computer to control robotic arms during the surgery. The surgeon sees a three-dimensional view of the heart and mitral valve on the computer. This method is very precise.

The patient may or may not need to be on a heart-lung machine for these types of surgery, but if not, the heart rate will be slowed by medicine or a mechanical device.

There are two types of valves:

1. Mechanical which is made of man-made (synthetic) materials, such as a metal like titanium. These valves last the longest, but the patient will need to take blood-thinning medicine, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin, for the rest of his or her life.

2. Biological which made of human or animal tissue. These valves last 10 to 12 years, but the patient may not need to take blood thinners for life.

Once the new or repaired valve is working, the surgeon will:

  • Close the heart and take you off the heart-lung machine.
  • Place catheters (tubes) around the heart to drain fluids that build up.
  • Close the sternum with stainless steel wires. It will take about 6 weeks for the bone to heal. The wires will stay inside the body.

The patient may have a temporary pacemaker connected to the heart until his or her natural heart rhythm returns.

The surgeon may also perform coronary artery bypass surgery at the same time, if needed.

Recovery

Recovery at hospital

The patient may spend 4 to 7 days in the hospital after surgery (much less in Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery-3 to 5 days). Then patient will wake up in the intensive care unit (ICU) and recover there for 1 or 2 days. Two to three tubes will be in the patient's chest to drain fluid from around the heart. They are usually removed 1 to 3 days after surgery.

The patient may have a catheter in the bladder to drain urine, and may also have intravenous lines to get fluids. Nurses will closely watch monitors that show information about the vital signs (pulse, temperature, and breathing).

The patient will be moved to a regular hospital room from the ICU. The nurses and doctors will continue to monitor the heart and vital signs until the patient is stable enough to go home. The patient will receive pain medicine to control pain around your surgical cut.

A nurse should help the patient to slowly resume some activity, and the patient should begin a physical therapy program to make the heart and body stronger. A temporary pacemaker may be placed in the patient's heart if the heart rate becomes too slow after surgery.

Recovery at home

The patient should be informed about the following:

  • Taking care for his or her healing incisions.
  • Recognizing signs of infection or other complications.
  • Coping with after-effects of surgery.
  • Followup appointments, medicines, and situations when he or she should call the doctor right away.
  • When he or she can go back to daily routine, such as working, driving, and physical activity.

After-effects of heart surgery are normal. They may include muscle pain, chest pain, or swelling. Other after-effects may include loss of appetite, problems sleeping, constipation, and mood swings and depression. After-effects usually go away over time.

Less recovery time is needed for off-pump heart surgery and minimally invasive heart surgery.

Ongoing care

Ongoing care after valve surgery may include periodic checkups with the doctor. During these visits, the patient may have blood tests, an EKG (electrocardiogram), echocardiography, or a stress test. These tests will show how the patient's heart is working after the surgery.

Routine tests should be done to make sure the patient is getting the right amount of the blood-thinning medicine in case of mechanical valve placement.

The patient may be advised to change his or her lifestyle, this includes: quitting smoking, making changes to diet, being physically active, and reducing and managing stress.

Surgical outcome

The results of mitral valve stenosis surgery are excellent in centers that regularly perform this surgery.

Techniques for minimally invasive heart valve surgery have improved greatly over the past 10 years. These techniques are safe for most patients, and they reduce recovery time and pain.

  • Results of the commissurotomy should be assessed with hemodynamics and echocardiography.
  • If second inflation is needed mitral regurgitation should be assessed.
  • In general increasing valve area to greater than 1 cm2/m2 is an acceptable result.
  • Usually the valve area doubles and the pulmonary pressures degrease immediately.
  • 5 year survival is in the 90% range.

Mechanical versus biological valves

Mechanical heart valves do not fail often. They last from 12 to 20 years. However, blood clots develop on them. If a blood clot forms, the patient may have a stroke. Bleeding can occur, but this is rare. Biological valves tend to fail over time [9][10], but they have a lower risk of blood clots.

Possible complications

Risks of any surgery

  • Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs.
  • Blood loss.
  • Breathing problems.
  • Infection, including in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, chest, or heart valves.
  • Reactions to medicines.

Possible risks from having open-heart surgery

  • Heart attack or stroke.
  • Heart rhythm problems.
  • Infection in the cut, which is more likely to happen in people who are obese, have diabetes, or have already had this surgery.
  • Memory loss and loss of mental clarity, or "fuzzy thinking."
  • Post-pericardiotomy syndrome, which is a low-grade fever and chest pain. This could last for up to 6 months.

Prosthetic heart valves are associated with a variety of complications

  • Structural deterioration, particularly with bioprosthetic valves.
  • Valve obstruction due to thrombosis or pannus formation.
  • Systemic embolization.
  • Bleeding.
  • Endocarditis and other infections.
  • Left ventricular systolic dysfunction, which may be preexisting.
  • Hemolytic anemia.

Videos

  • Mitral valve replacement surgery animation

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  • Robotic mitral valve repair surgery animation

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External links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitral_valve#cite_note-0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitral_valve_stenosis

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000175.htm

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hs/before.html

http://www.mayoclinic.org/mitral-valve-disease/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007411.htm

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hs/during.html

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hs/after.html

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bonow RO, Carabello BA, Chatterjee K, de Leon AC, Faxon DP, Freed MD; et al. (2008). "2008 Focused update incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 1998 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease): endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons". Circulation. 118 (15): e523–661. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.190748. PMID 18820172.
  2. Lin SS, Lauer MS, Asher CR, Cosgrove DM, Blackstone E, Thomas JD; et al. (2001). "Prediction of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing operations for mitral valve degeneration". J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 121 (5): 894–901. doi:10.1067/mtc.2001.112463. PMID 11326232.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ben Farhat M, Ayari M, Maatouk F, Betbout F, Gamra H, Jarra M; et al. (1998). "Percutaneous balloon versus surgical closed and open mitral commissurotomy: seven-year follow-up results of a randomized trial". Circulation. 97 (3): 245–50. PMID 9462525.
  4. Pavankumar P, Venugopal P, Kaul U, Iyer KS, Das B, Sampathkumar A; et al. (1988). "Closed mitral valvotomy during pregnancy. A 20-year experience". Scand J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 22 (1): 11–5. PMID 3387943.
  5. Reyes VP, Raju BS, Wynne J, Stephenson LW, Raju R, Fromm BS; et al. (1994). "Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty compared with open surgical commissurotomy for mitral stenosis". N Engl J Med. 331 (15): 961–7. doi:10.1056/NEJM199410133311501. PMID 8084354.
  6. Lau KW, Ding ZP, Hung JS (1997). "Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy versus surgical commissurotomy in the treatment of mitral stenosis". Clin Cardiol. 20 (2): 99–106. PMID 9034637.
  7. BRAUNWALD E, BRAUNWALD NS, ROSS J, MORROW AG (1965). "EFFECTS OF MITRAL-VALVE REPLACEMENT ON THE PULMONARY VASCULAR DYNAMICS OF PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY HYPERTENSION". N Engl J Med. 273: 509–14. doi:10.1056/NEJM196509022731001. PMID 14324511.
  8. García-Fernández MA, Pérez-David E, Quiles J, Peralta J, García-Rojas I, Bermejo J; et al. (2003). "Role of left atrial appendage obliteration in stroke reduction in patients with mitral valve prosthesis: a transesophageal echocardiographic study". J Am Coll Cardiol. 42 (7): 1253–8. PMID 14522491.
  9. Hammermeister KE, Sethi GK, Henderson WG, Oprian C, Kim T, Rahimtoola S (1993). "A comparison of outcomes in men 11 years after heart-valve replacement with a mechanical valve or bioprosthesis. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study on Valvular Heart Disease". N Engl J Med. 328 (18): 1289–96. doi:10.1056/NEJM199305063281801. PMID 8469251.
  10. Hammermeister K, Sethi GK, Henderson WG, Grover FL, Oprian C, Rahimtoola SH (2000). "Outcomes 15 years after valve replacement with a mechanical versus a bioprosthetic valve: final report of the Veterans Affairs randomized trial". J Am Coll Cardiol. 36 (4): 1152–8. PMID 11028464.

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