Sucessful surgical treatment ofor "parachute mitral valve" complex. Report of 2 cases.

Summary Two patients, 7 and 9 years of age, with partial forms of parachute mitral valve complex are presented. Both had obstructive parachute deformity of the mitral valve. One patient had an associated stenotic bicuspid aortic valve, coarctation of the aorta, and pectus carinatum. The other patient also had stenosis of a bicuspid aortic valve but no other malformation. Parachute deformity of the mitral valve was suspected in the first patient and diagnosed in the other before operation. Physical findings were variable in the 2 patients but both had typical murmurs of mitral and aortic valve obstruction. The possibility of associated stenosis of a bicuspid aortic valve should always be considered in patients with parachute deformity of the mitral valve if successful surgical results are to be expected. Both patients had mitral valve replacement and aortic valvuloplasty. Improvement followed operation and has been maintained during a follow-up period of 1 year. The problems of valve replacement in children are: fixed diameter of the prosthetic valve, use of long-term anticoagulants, and the ultimate fate of prosthetic valves in general. In spite of these problems, mitral valve replacement is effective and is the only feasible method for treatment of parachute mitral valve deformity.