Redo mitral valve replacement through minithoracotomy on ventricular fibrillation: Bailout for a nightmare Redo

Abstract

Abstract A 56‐year‐old woman entered the emergency department due to worsening dyspnea. Severe mitral regurgitation and pulmonary artery dilation with flow compatible with fistula were observed by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The patient had history of an ALCAPA (anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery) syndrome having undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (saphenous venous graft to left anterior descending artery) 30 years before. Coronary angiography and computed tomography revealed patency of the graft, with the dilated vein running across the front of the ascending aorta and being responsible for the perfusion of the left anterior descending artery and circumflex artery. We resent this case for discussion of which surgical strategy/options are available in order to treat the mitral valve and avoid injuring the patent graft.

Keywords

• mitral valve procedures
• redo
• thoracotomy
• ventricular fibrillation