Fresh autologous pericardial patch for surgical repair of mitral valve leaflet degeneration in a dog.

Fresh autologous pericardial patches offer durable, functional repair for canine mitral leaflet perforations.

An 8-year-old Toy Poodle with stage D heart failure and severe mitral regurgitation refractory to medical management underwent surgical repair using mitral annuloplasty, ePTFE chordal reconstruction, and a novel fresh autologous pericardial patch technique. Intraoperative findings revealed anterior leaflet thinning, stretching, and perforations requiring structural restoration. A 1.5 × 1.5-cm autologous pericardium patch was continuously sutured to the atrial leaflet surface. Postoperative echocardiography demonstrated significant improvement in cardiac variables by day 6, with sustained benefits at 12-month follow-up showing minimal residual regurgitation and normal cardiac dimensions. The autologous pericardial patch proved durable, flexible, and compatible with normal valvular function without patch-related complications. This represents the first long-term successful case of mitral valve repair using fresh autologous pericardium in canine medicine, suggesting this technique may be valuable for severe leaflet pathology unsuitable for conventional repair methods.

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