Justification for Anti-Anatomic Positioning of Bileaflet Mechanical
Mitral Valves
Abstract
In the early 1980s, implantation of bileaflet mechanical mitral valves
(MMVs) in the anatomical plane was found to be associated with
incomplete closure of the posterior leaflet, resulting in a higher
incidence of valve thrombosis. This phenomenon, coined as the “lazy”
leaflet, was avoided with anti-anatomical orientation. This historical
observation helped standardize the implantation technique, but
variability in surgical practice for leaflet orientation persists. The
latter might have been increasing since rotatable cuff designs became
available on newer generation models of MMVs. Indeed, this feature makes
it tempting to prioritize a perfect custom prosthetic fit at the expense
of proper orientation. We present the case of a young woman with
rheumatic mitral valve disease in whom an On-X MMV was rotated in the
anatomical plane, resulting in a limited excursion of the posterior
occluder. This case illustrates that anti-anatomical implantation should
still be favored with new-generation MMV models.