Thoracic Key

The World Health Organization restricts the use of the term “dilated cardiomyopathy” to diseases of unknown cause that primarily involve the myocardium. The term “idiopathic cardiomyopathy” would be more accurate…

Extensive calcification of the mitral valve annulus is a pathological entity that may or may not be associated with other mitral valve diseases. In its most characteristic configuration, it forms…

Despite all the progress made in antimicrobial therapy, bacterial endocarditis remains a “malignant disease,” as defined by Sir William Osler in the pre-antibiotic era. This is attributable to the difficulty…

Tricuspid valve malformations are very rare. The most frequent is the anomaly described by Ebstein in 1866, which represents only 0.5% of patients with congenital heart disease. Other tricuspid valve…

Before 1950 rheumatic fever was one of the most common epidemics in the world, with considerable socioeconomic consequences. As an example, acute rheumatic fever was the most common cause of…

Mitral valvular malformations are rare, diverse, and complex. They are often associated with other cardiac or great vessel anomalies that may hide or be hidden by the valvular malformation. They…

Reconstruction of the tricuspid valve should be guided by the same basic principles described for the mitral valve—that is, preserving or restoring normal leaflet motion, ensuring a large surface of…

The aortic valve is one component of the aortic root, which connects the left ventricular outflow tract to the ascending aorta. The function of the aortic root is to guide…

Several repair techniques have been described to correct aortic valve dysfunction. In contrast to mitral valve repair techniques, few of them have become the gold standard because of the unpredictability…

The tricuspid valve is part of a complex functional system that also includes the right atrium, the right ventricle, and the pulmonary circulation. With the tricuspid valve exposed, the surgeon…