Objectives: To review, for the first time, the outcome of mitral valve repair operations in Iceland.
Material and methods: A retrospective study of all mitral valve repair patients (average age 64 yrs, 74% males) operated in Iceland 2001-2012. All 125 patients had mitral regurgitation; either due to degenerative disease (56%) or functional regurgitation (44%). Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The median follow-up time was 3.9 years
Results: The number repair-procedures increased from 39 during the first half of the study period to 86 during the latter period. The mean EuroSCORE was 12.9% and 2/3 of the patients were in NYHA class III/IV. Half of them had severe mitral regurgitation, 12% had a recent myocardial infarction, and 10% a history of previous cardiac surgery. A ring annuloplasty was performed in 98% of cases, a posterior leaflet resection was done in 51 patients (41%), 28 received artificial chordae (Goretex(®)) and 7 an Alfieri-stitch. Concomitant cardiac surgery was performed in 83% of cases, where coronary artery bypass (53%), Maze-procedure (31%) or aortic valve replacement (19%) were most common. Major complications occurred in 56% of the cases and minor complications were noted in 71% of cases. Two patients later required mitral valve replacement. Eight patients died within 30 days (6%) and 5-year overall survival was 79%; or 84% and 74% for the degenerative and functional groups, respectively.
Conclusions: The number of mitral valve repairs in Iceland increased significantly over the study period. Complications are common but operative mortality and long-term survival is similar to that reported in studies from other countries.