OBJECTIVE: To present the crossed papillopexy technique and its initial results in the preservation of papillary muscles in mitral valve replacement and ventricular remodeling surgeries for heart failure (CHF). METHOD: Ten patients, 70% male, with ages between 15 and 75 years old (mean 44.4 ± 18.7 years old), suffering from rheumatic mitral valve disease (50%), mitral valve prolapse (10%) or dilated cardiomyopathy (40%), were studied. After opening the left atrium and adequate exposure of the mitral valve, the anterior leaflet already free of its annulus fixation was centrally divided and each half, with its cordae tendineae complex fixed to the commissure on the opposite side. Following this, mechanical (seven cases) or biological (three cases) prostheses were implanted using single sutures in the valve annuli, with reduction of the mitral valve annulus for better ventricular remodeling in CHF cases. RESULTS: All patients were discharged from hospital in good clinical conditions. Additionally all presented with great improvement in the cardiac performance at the end of the first month of follow-up, with significant reductions in the left ventricular and left atrium systolic diameters (p<0.05) and mean increases in the left ventricle ejection fraction of from 46.7 to 56.4 % (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The crossed papillopexy technique in valve replacement surgeries for mitral valve lesions and CHF presented significant increases in the left ventricular function and improvement of ventricular remodeling in the studied postoperative period.
Mitral valve; Papillary muscles; Heart valve prosthesis
