Key Features of Barlow’s Disease:
60-year-old patient with a heart murmur for many years was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse six years ago. She was on medication for the heart murmur and was diagnosed with an echocardiogram, at which time they discovered the mitral valve prolapse in both leaflets. The cardiologist suggested surgery, but the patient wanted a second opinion due to her hesitance. It was recommended that she have an echo every six months.
Then, the patient began to feel unwell with shortness of breath. Her doctor moved the surgery window from six months to four months to check on it. The patient decided to have the surgery. It was noted that her heart was already getting a little bit enlarged, which caused concern, as that is one of the indications of severity.
She was diagnosed with Barlow’s syndrome, or Barlow’s disease, which is excessive tissue of both leaflets, know as bi-leaflet prolapse. We had to repair the anterior leaflet and the posterior leaflet, and put a ring in, and we did a follow-up echo, not only in the operating room, but also right before discharge yesterday. The echo was perfect. She has no further mitral leakage nor stenosis. She does have SAM, systolic anterior motion, because she has an asymmetric septal hypertrophy (a little extra muscle knuckle).
She was discharged four days after surgery and says the pain after her conventional sternotomy is minimal.
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