Introduction .– Percutaneous balloon mitral valvulotomy (PBMV) in rheumatic mitral stenosis is effective. However, complications such as severe mitral regurgitation (MR) may occur. Therefore, it is justified to predict the…
Background .– The coronary flow reserve (CFR) is progressively impaired with aortic stenosis (AS) severity, but there is a broad range of CFR in patients (pts) with severe AS, and…
Background .– Changes in mitral valve (MV) elasticity or distensibility occur in disease and directly affect MV function, contributing to MV prolapse (MVP) or flail versus restricted coaptation of stiffer…
Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and reduced ejection fraction (EF) should be promptly operated on. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) has been proposed as a subtle subclinical marker of left…
Objectives .– Planimetry measured by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE, MVA2D) is the reference method for the evaluation of the severity of mitral stenosis (MS) but is significantly less reliable when…
Background .– There is currently uncertainty and debate regarding whether ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) is a secondary epiphenomenon resulting from LV dysfunction or confers an independent effect on exercise capacity…
Background .– Several studies suggest that BNP testing may help define the timing of aortic valve surgery in patients with aortic valve stenosis (AVS) prior onset of overt LV systolic…
Objectives .– Functional MR may occur in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as elevated left atrial pressure disrupts normal functioning of the mitral valve apparatus. Whether functional MR…
Background.– Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can detect left atrial thrombus (LA) and dense LA spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) which have been associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism. Scarce data are…
Objectives.– The playpnea-orthodeoxy syndrome (POS) is described in literature and characterized by dyspnea, hypoxemia and desaturation in the upright position. It is caused by mechanical obstruction of the inferior vena…
