Cardioband removal for secondary mitral valve regurgitation: pitfall and surgical technique.

Mitral regurgitation is a challenging condition, especially in patients at high risk for open heart surgery. Nowadays, trans-catheter procedures for treatment of valvular disorders represent a valid alternative to traditional surgical techniques. These include not only the trans-catheter valve implants but also other percutaneous devices used to repair native valves, notably mitral valve. However, in case of failure, mis-placement, or unsatisfactory results of percutaneous devices, explant and correction of the valvular disease may be required. In such scenarios, only traditional surgery techniques can be efficacious. A case of Cardioband System (Edwards Lifescience, Irvine, CA, USA) surgical explant and valve replacement for persisting mitral valve regurgitation is reported. The technical details and pitfalls of the surgical removal procedure are discussed.