In Vivo Validation of Restored Chordal Biomechanics After Mitral Ring Annuloplasty in a Rare Ovine Case of Natural Chronic Functional Mitral Regurgitation

Abstract

Mitral valve chordae tendineae forces are elevated in the setting of mitral regurgitation (MR). Ring annuloplasty is an essential component of surgical repair for MR, but whether chordal forces are reduced after mitral annuloplasty has never been validated in vivo. Here, we present an extremely rare ovine case of natural, severe chronic functional MR, in which we used force-sensing fiber Bragg grating neochordae to directly measure chordal forces in the baseline setting of severe MR, as well as after successful mitral ring annuloplasty repair. Overall, our report is the first to confirm in vivo that mitral ring annuloplasty reduces elevated chordae tendineae forces associated with chronic functional MR.