Nonresectional Simplified Folding Technique in Robotic Mitral Valve Plasty: Comparison with Leaflet Resection Technique

OBJECTIVE: The mitral valve plasty (MVP) technique for degenerative disease is typically leaflet resection and suturing. However, this technique is time consuming and unreproducible. To overcome this disadvantage, we developed a nonresectional folding technique, which is fast and reproducible. In this report, we examine our new folding technique in robotic MVP. METHODS: The new folding technique was performed in 10 patients (age 56 ± 15 years), and the conventional resection and suturing (RS) technique was performed in 22 patients (age 53 ± 8 years). In our new folding technique, we used two sutures to fold the prolapsed leaflet to the left ventricle side. The first folding suture line is a land mark, and the second line adjusts the height of the posterior leaflet to the anterior leaflet so that sufficient coaptation depth can be obtained. RESULTS: MVP was successful in all patients. In the folding technique group, the operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and cross clamp time was faster than the conventional RS technique group (188 ± 31, 97 ± 32, and 55 ± 3 min, versus 242 ± 51, 137 ± 25, and 70 ± 15 min; P < .05). Hospital stays were significantly shorter in the folding technique group (13 ± 2 days versus 17 ± 7 days; P < .05). All patients were discharged without complications. The post-echocardiography revealed no mitral valve regurgitation in any patient. CONCLUSION: The new folding technique facilitated efficient MVP for posterior leaflet prolapse in mitral valve regurgitation, without the need for the resection of the leaflet.