Chordal cutting in ischemic mitral regurgitation: A propensity-matched study

Objective The optimal surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) has not been well defined. Second-order chordal cutting (CC), in selected patients, can improve surgical outcomes. Methods From 2007 to 2011, 31 patients underwent CC for ischemic MR. The indication was the presence of increased tethering of the anterior leaflet, with a bending angle (BA)  Results Preoperatively, in the CC and no-CC groups, the age was 61 ± 9 and 62 ± 10 years, EF was 31% ± 5% and 29% ± 8%, MR grade (0-4) was 3.6 ± 0.6 and 3.3 ± 0.8, and diastolic and systolic dimension was 56 ± 7 and 43 ± 8 mm and 57 ± 11 and 44 ± 11 mm, respectively. The New York Heart Association class and BA was 2.7 ± 0.6 and 2.6 ± 0.7 and 137° ± 4° and 137° ± 6°, respectively. All patients underwent overreductive annuloplasty. In the CC group, second-order chords were cut using aortotomy. After a mean of 33 ± 15 months, the MR grade was 0.6 ± 0.6 and 1.1 ± 0.8 ( P  = .014) and the EF was 40% ± 5% and 35% ± 7% ( P  = .005) in the CC and no-CC groups, respectively. The corresponding diastolic and systolic diameters were 52 ± 5 and 38 ± 8 mm and 53 ± 11 and 41 ± 12 mm ( P  = NS). The modifications were significant only in the CC group ( P  = .022 and P  = .029 for the diastolic and systolic dimensions, respectively). The corresponding New York Heart Association class decreased to 1.1 ± 0.3 and 1.5 ± 0.6 ( P  = .004). The BA increased to 182° ± 4° in the CC ( P Conclusions In selected patients with a BA