Alfieri Stitch (Edge To Edge) in Degenerative Mitral Valve Repair: Characteristics and Late Durability in 648 Patients

Background: Mitral valve repair with the edge‐to‐edge technique (Alfieri stitch) has been described for over 20 years, yet little is published on late durability and potential risk of mitral stenosis remains controversial. The primary objective of this study is to describe characteristics and late durability of Alfieri stitch in mitral valve repair. Methods: From 2004 to 2019, we reviewed data from our prospectively maintained institutional database on 1175 consecutive patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) who underwent repair. Patients undergoing concomitant operations were included. Propensity score matching was performed on patients with and without Alfieri stitch to compare clinical (survival and reoperation) and echocardiographic (moderate or severe MR [“moderate or more MR”], severe MR, and mitral stenosis) outcomes up to 10 years. Results: Overall, 1175 patients underwent mitral valve repair; 55.1% ( n = 648) received the Alfieri stitch. The median follow‐up was 4.7 (2.0, 8.2) years. Matched patients with and without Alfieri stitch had similar cumulative incidence (CI) of moderate or more MR (24% ± 5% vs. 17% ± 4%, p = 0.2, respectively), severe MR (5% ± 2% vs. 4% ± 2%, p = 0.3), and mitral reoperation (9% ± 3% vs. 2% ± 1%, p = 0.06) with no difference in survival (84% ± 3% vs. 81% ± 3%, p = 0.2). The Alfieri stitch resulted in a slightly higher mean mitral valve gradient (3.9% ± 1.5 mmHg vs. 3.6% ± 1.6 mmHg, p = 0.0003). The CI of mitral stenosis at 10 years was negligible (one patient with Alfieri stitch and two patients without Alfieri stitch). Conclusions: In selected patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation, mitral valve repair with Alfieri stitch is durable with late outcomes comparable with other repair techniques. The Alfieri stitch may be a useful tool in selecting complex mitral pathology with minimal increased incidence of mitral stenosis. Further investigation is needed to delineate best indications for the use of Alfieri stitch.