Besides annular dilatation, the mitral valve annulus can be severely affected by other specific pathological processes, such as extensive calcification or abscesses. In rare circumstances, the annulus may present either…
MITRAL VALVE EXPOSURE After extracorporeal circulation has been instituted, adequate exposure of the mitral valve is mandatory to perform a safe and effective operation. Pericardial adhesions, if present, are released…
Since Général Baron Nicolas Corvisart, Napoléon’s physician, recognized that heart failure may be due to mitral valve regurgitation following chordae rupture, multiple studies have emphasized the extreme complexity of the…
The anatomy of heart valves is usually described with respect to transverse or longitudinal sections of the heart, which provide optimal viewpoints of the heart’s different structures ( Fig. 5-1…
Sound perioperative management of the patient undergoing a valve operation requires careful attention to details to ensure an optimal outcome. PREOPERATIVE INVESTIGATIONS All patients undergoing valvular surgery should have a…
During the cardiac cycle the heart’s four valves ( Fig. 2-1 ) channel blood flow in a single direction: from the atria to the ventricles and from the ventricles to…
Supraventricular tachycardia Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a rhythm disturbance with a rate greater than 100 that requires tissue from above the His-Purkinje system to perpetuate. SVT can be regular (e.g.,…
Pacemaker rhythms Cardiac pacing systems are described by a three- or four-letter code. The first letter indicates the chamber in which pacing stimuli are delivered (atrium, A; ventricle, V; or…
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a device that is placed subcutaneously or submuscularly, with leads that are positioned within the heart (or, more recently, subcutaneously). In…
Antiarrhythmic drugs By several mechanisms, some drugs, particularly antiarrhythmic drugs, can cause serious rhythm disturbances in susceptible individuals. This is termed proarrhythmia . Proarrhythmia encompasses an extensive list of arrhythmia…
