Strut chordal-sparing mitral valve replacement preserves long-term left ventricular shape and function in pigs

Strut chordal preservation was equivalent to total valve preservation during mitral valve replacement, whereas total chordal resection caused significant left ventricular slimming with compensatory increases in fractional shortening. Therefore, to preserve left ventricular geometry, special attention must be paid to maintain the valvular-ventricular continuity through the strut chordae during mitral valve replacement. This concept may have important therapeutic implications for chordal-sparing mitral valve replacement.