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Volume 138, Issue 5, Pages 1090-1099 (November 2009)


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Mitral annular hinge motion contribution to changes in mitral septal–lateral dimension and annular area

Akinobu Itoh, MDa, Daniel B. Ennis, PhDa, Wolfgang Bothe, MDa, Julia C. Swanson, MDa, Gaurav Krishnamurthy, MSa, Tom C. Nguyen, MDa, Neil B. Ingels Jr., PhDab, D. Craig Miller, MDaCorresponding Author Informationemail address

Received 12 May 2008; received in revised form 15 January 2009; accepted 23 March 2009. published online 14 September 2009.

Objective

The mitral annulus is a dynamic, saddle-shaped structure consisting of fibrous and muscular regions. Normal physiologic mechanisms of annular motion are incompletely understood, and more complete characterization is needed to provide rational basis for annuloplasty ring design and to enhance clinical outcomes.

Methods

Seventeen sheep had radiopaque markers implanted; 16 around the annulus and 2 on middle anterior and posterior leaflet edges. Four-dimensional marker coordinates were acquired with biplanar videofluoroscopy at 60 Hz. Hinge angle was quantified between fibrous and muscular annular planes, with 0° defined at end diastole, to characterize its contribution to alterations in mitral septal–lateral dimension and 2-dimensional total annular area throughout the cardiac cycle.

Results

During isovolumic contraction (pre-ejection), hinge angle abruptly increased, reaching maximum (steepest saddle shape, change 18° ± 13°) at peak left ventricular pressure. During ejection, hinge angle did not change; it then decreased during early filling (change 2° ± 2°). Septal–lateral dimension and total area paralleled hinge angle dynamics and leaflet distance (anterior to posterior marker). Pre-ejection septal–lateral reduction was 13% ± 7% (3.3 ± 1.5 mm) from 9% muscular dimension fall and 18° ± 13° hinge angle increase.

Conclusions

Pre-ejection increase in hinge angle contributes substantially to septal–lateral and total area reduction, facilitating leaflet coaptation. Semirigid annuloplasty rings or partial bands may preserve hinge motion, but possible recurrent annular dilatation could result in recurrent mitral regurgitation. Long-term clinical studies are required to determine who might benefit most from preserving intrinsic hinge motion without compromising repair durability.

CTSNet classification35

a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif

b Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Biophysics, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif

Corresponding Author InformationAddress for reprints: D. Craig Miller, MD, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Falk Cardiovascular Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5407.

 Supported by grants HL-29589 and HL-67025 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. A.I., W.B., J.C.S., and T.C.N. were Carl and Leah McConnell Cardiovascular Surgical Research Fellows. A.I. was a recipient of Uehara Memorial Foundation Research Fellowship Award. D.B.E. is supported by National Institutes of Health grant K99-HL087614. W.B. was supported by the Deutsche Herzstiftung Research Fellowship Award. T.C.N. was a recipient of the Thoracic Society Foundation Research Fellowship Award.

 Read at the Eighty-eighth Annual Meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, San Diego, Calif, May 10–14, 2008.

PII: S0022-5223(09)00994-5

doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.03.067


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