Late results of mitral valve reconstruction in the elderly

Background. This study attempts to confirm favorable results with mitral valve reconstruction (MVP) in patients greater than or equal to 70 years of age and to examine complication rates by actual analysis. Methods. Between Tune of 1980 and December of 1997, 278 patients 70 years of age or older (mean, 75.2 years; range, 70 to 87 years) underwent MVP for mitral regurgitation. Most involved insertion of an annuloplasty ring. Concomitant procedures were performed in 72.3%, and 55.0% required coronary revascularization. Results. For isolated MVP, the in-hospital mortality rate was 6.5% and 17.0% when combined with coronary revascularization. The mortality rate when combined with another valve procedure was 13.2%. The 5-year freedom from late cardiac death. was 100% in the isolated MVP group and 79.7% for MVP with a concomitant procedure (p = 0.006). Complications were analyzed using actual (cumulative incidence) analysis to eliminate the competing risk of noncardiac death. Mean NYHA class improved from 3.32 to 1.71 postoperatively. Repair failure was rare, with a 5-year freedom from reoperation of 91.2%. Conclusions. These findings confirm the favorable outcome of MVP in elderly patients. Late repair failures are rare; comorbid disease is an important predictor of outcome. (C) 2000 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.