Abstract
When we surveyed the medical literature, we noted that there is little material addressing the use of lung perfusion during clinical mitral valve surgery. In light of this reality, we would like to point out that pulmonary hypertension is seen frequently in mitral valve disease, and it can effectively contribute to a patient’s prognosis. We think that heart surgeons should turn their attention to this issue as well as keep in mind that the use of controlled lung perfusion during mitral valve surgery can be a useful approach for minimizing the deleterious effects of underlying pulmonary hypertension. If the patient having mitral valve surgery does not present clinical or echocardiographic signs of pulmonary hypertension at the time of operation, we believe that controlled lung perfusion can play a prophylactic role. On the other hand, if the clinical status of such a patient is really marked by pulmonary hypertension, we advocate that the use of controlled lung perfusion can prevent serious additional damage to lung tissue.
