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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2006;29:1026-1029
© 2006 Elsevier Science NL

The ‘Valve Racket’: a new and different concept of atrioventricular valve repair

^a Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hospital Universitario Valdecilla, E-39008 Santander, Spain
^b Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital Universitario Valdecilla, Spain
^c Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Valdecilla, Spain
^d Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Valdecilla, Spain
^e Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain

Received 7 November 2005; received in revised form 15 February 2006; accepted 22 February 2006.

^_* Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 942 202536; fax: +34 942 203535. (Email: ccabmj{at}humv.es).

Objective: Mitral regurgitation due to prolapse of the mitral leaflets frequently compromises annuloplasty repair procedures. We present a new annuloplasty ring that overcomes this difficulty, preventing displacement of the leaflets into the atrium. Methods: The ‘Valve Racket’ is a prosthetic ring transformed into a racket by means of handmade mesh using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE Gore-Tex). After transection of the marginal chordae tendineae, five sheep had the new racket implanted in the mitral (n = 3) and in the tricuspid position (n = 2). The surviving sheep underwent postoperative evaluation. Results: After six months of operation, a standard transthoracic study showed competent valves without significant gradients and without residual valve regurgitation. The ring appeared encapsulated by a uniform fibrous tissue but the threads showed a completely denuded surface except in the zone proximal to the ring. Thrombi or calcification deposits in the ring, racket's mesh, or cardiac chamber were not observed. Conclusion: This initial experience confirmed the efficacy and simplicity of the technique.

Key Words: Mitral valve repair • Tricuspid valve • Animal model • Heart valve