Echocardiography in mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation: the surgeon's needs
Lee, E.M.; Shapiro, L.M.; Wells, F.C.
Journal of Heart Valve Disease 6(3): 228-233
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0966-8519 PMID: 9183719 Document Number: 481269
Mitral valve repair has become the operation of choice for mitral regurgitation. It is often technically more demanding than valve replacement. The role of echocardiography has now extended beyond the identification of severe mitral regurgitation that would benefit from surgical correction. It helps the surgeon to assess valve reparability preoperatively, to assess the need for valve surgery in equivocal cases of ischemic mitral regurgitation, to plan the operation, and to assess valve function after repair. This article aims to discuss the role of echocardiography in providing the information needed by the surgeon for successful mitral valve repair. The echocardiographer must understand the surgeon's needs, while surgeons should understand both the benefits and limitations of echocardiography.