Do echocardiographic measurements alone provide accurate non-invasive selection of annuloplasty band size for robotic mitral valve repair?
In this small case series, a substantial proportion of patients had suboptimal immediate postoperative results. This suggests that selection of the annuloplasty band should not be based on a single echocardiographic variable as it depends on the etiology of the MR, and other dimensions of the mitral valve. Further studies are ongoing to develop a non-invasive method for the selection of annuloplasty band size.
E41-Skelite, a prototype granulated topical antibiotic delivery system, reduced the development of infection in experimental bone wounds.