Mitral Valve Repair for Barlow’s Syndrome using Adjustable Artificial Chordal Replacement

Repair of generalized mitral prolapse associated with Barlow’s valves has been difficult with resectional techniques. This video, presented at the 2004 STS meeting, illustrates a simple non-resectional method of using multiple Gore-Tex artificial chords to repair generalized prolapse associated with Barlow’s Syndrome. Two chords are positioned in both papillary muscles initially, and after ring placement, the chords are woven into the leaflets and individually “adjusted” to proper length. Virtually all Barlow’s valves can be repaired with this method with excellent early efficacy and a late recurrence/reoperation rate in the range of 2%. An early case of late artificial chordal rupture with 4-0 suture is presented, which prompted use of 2-0 Gore-Tex chords since 1998, with no more recurrence.