Mitral valvular surgery outcomes in a centre with a dedicated mitral multi-disciplinary team

Abstract

International guidelines recommend 'heart teams' as the preferred method for decision-making. Heart team processes, mandatory attendees and investigations vary significantly between hospitals. We assessed outcomes following mitral valvular surgery in a tertiary referral centre with a dedicated mitral multi-disciplinary team (MDT). This was a single-centre retrospective review of prospectively collected data within the 'mitral database' of mitral valvular disease patients. The 'mitral MDT' meeting involved pre-operative imaging and clinical data review, including mandatory transoesophageal echocardiography; recommendation for planned procedure, as well as an appropriate surgeon; and review of echocardiography images and clinical outcomes after surgery had been performed. Between 2016 and 2020, 395 patients with mitral valvular disease were discussed at MDT. Of these, 310 patients underwent surgery. During the same time interval, 75 patients had surgery without MDT discussion: 84% of patients not discussed were urgent or emergent procedures and, in these, the most common pathology was degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR, 46%) followed by infective endocarditis (30%). Of those discussed at MDT the pathology was: DMR 65%; mitral stenosis 14%; functional mitral regurgitation (MR) 5%; rheumatic MR 4%; endocarditis 4%; ischaemic MR 4%; and other pathologies 4%. For patients with DMR having elective surgery, the repair rate was 93% with mortality 2% and median (IQR) length of stay 5 (4-6) days. Postoperative transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated 99% of elective DMR patients had ≤2+ MR and <1% severe (3+) MR. In conclusion, a dedicated 'mitral MDT' can enhance the safe delivery of care with consistently high repair rates for DMR patients with excellent outcomes.

Keywords: echocardiography; mitral valve; mitral valve insufficiency; patient-care team; thoracic surgery.

Figure 1.. Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE II) flowchart