Assessment of Papillary muscle repositioning in Mitral valve Replacement in patients with Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of performing papillary muscle repositioning (PMR) for subvalvular-sparing mitral valve replace- ment procedures in patients with ischemic mitral regur-gitation and to determine the early and late effects of this procedure on the clinical outcome and left ventricular mechanics. Methods: We prospectively randomly allocated 50 patients with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation and left ventricle dysfunction who were candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery and mitral valve replacement into a total chordal-sparing mitral valve replacement group or a PMR group. Echocardiography was performed preop- eratively, at discharge, and after 3 years to determine the left ventricular dimensions, shape, and function. Results: The reduction in the left ventricle volumes and sphericity index in the PMR group was more significant than that in the other group. With regard to the left ven- tricular end-systolic and left ventricular end-diastolic volumes, sphericity index, and ejection fraction, the PMR group showed better results (p 0.05), but the difference in New York Heart Association functional class after 3 years was not statistically signifi- cant between the two groups (p 0.05). Conclusions: The PMR technique described herein can dramatically help ischemic patients by affecting the left ventricular shape and function more efficiently compared with the complete retention of the mitral subvalvular apparatus if the mitral valve is to be replaced.