Background:
Surgical repair of rheumatic mitral valve disease is technically more demanding however, mitral repair is preferred over mechanical valve implantation if possible. İn this case report we presented the case of functional mitral stenosis after surgical mitral valve repair and annuloplasty ring implantation for rheumatic mitral regurgitation.
Case Report:
A 64-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with progressively worsening shortness of breath (New York Heart Association-Classification II-III), 6 months after surgical mitral valve repair and annuloplasty ring implantation for rheumatic mitral regurgitation. The 28/13 mmHg gradient was observed in the mitral valve annuloplasty ring in transthoracic echocardiography. TEE findings showed that motions of the mitral valve leaflet were fine, but in the mitral annuloplasty ring there was an extreme constriction and increased gradient.
Conclusion:
The development of mitral stenosis following mitral valve surgery is a condition associated with multiple mechanisms that are poorly understood. Mitral valve repair can be difficult and low success rate, especially in rheumatic mitral valve patients. The defect in the surgical technique and the application of restrictive small annuloplasty causes an increased gradient, leading to the development of severe functional mitral stenosis, especially when accompanied by a slight increase in pannus tissue.