Crossed papillopexy with graft in mitral valve replacement: case report.

The aim of this study is to present the crossed papillopexy technique using bovine pericardial graft in mitral replacement caused by intense valvar and subvalvar fibrosis and calcification. This technique allows the functional preservation of the mitral subvalvar apparatus and was successfully applied, by the first time as far as we known, in a patient with calcified rheumatic mitral stenosis, who underwent mitral valve replacement surgery. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on postoperative day 6. Echocardiography controls showed normal left ventricular function without any interference on the mitral prosthesis dynamics.