Rheumatic mitral valve repair: experience of 221 cases from Central Chest Institute of Thailand.

Rheumatic heart disease is a major problem in Thailand and this region. Surgical management is still a dilemma and problematic. Current understanding of mitral valve complex and its dynamics in combination with improvement of surgical techniques allow surgeon to repair rheumatic mitral valve disease better.

Autologous pericardial valved conduit for the Ross operation.

The feasibility and function of autologous pericardial valved conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in the Ross operation were assessed. Between June 1997 and April 2002, 31 patients underwent this procedure at our institution; one was lost to follow-up. The other 26 males and 4 females were aged 17 to 60 years (mean, 36.