Outcome of consistent guideline-based tricuspid management in patients undergoing degenerative mitral regurgitation correction.

Objectives: Despite coherent guidelines, management of functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) consequences on outcome in the context of degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) remains controversial due to lacking series of large magnitude with rigorous application of tricuspid guidelines and strict long-term echocardiographic follow-up. Thus, we aimed at gathering such a cohort to examine outcomes of patients undergoing DMR surgery following tricuspid surgery guidelines.

Methods: All consecutive patients with isolated DMR 2005-2015 operated on with baseline FTR assessment and tricuspid annulus diameter measurement were identified.

"Respect when you can, resect when you should": A realistic approach to posterior leaflet mitral valve repair.

Objective: Avoiding resection to treat posterior leaflet prolapse has become popular to repair degenerative mitral regurgitation. We never subscribed to such simplification but advocated an alternative approach based on the "respect when you can, resect when you should" concept. The present study reviewed posterior leaflet prolapse in degenerative disease with the aim to expose the 10-year experience with this surgical policy, in particular long-term outcomes such as survival, recurrent/severe mitral regurgitation, and reoperation.

Mitral Valve Repair in Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation: State of the Art.

In industrialized countries, the most common etiology of mitral regurgitation (MR) is degenerative mitral valve (MV) disease. The natural history of severe degenerative MR is poor. However, its appropriate and timely correction is associated with a life expectancy similar to that of the normal population.

Diagnosing and Managing Carcinoid Heart Disease in Patients With Neuroendocrine Tumors: An Expert Statement.

Carcinoid heart disease is a frequent occurrence in patients with carcinoid syndrome and is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiology of carcinoid heart disease is poorly understood; however, chronic exposure to excessive circulating serotonin is considered one of the most important contributing factors. Despite recognition, international consensus guidelines specifically addressing the diagnosis and management of carcinoid heart disease are lacking.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: the mitral valve could be the key.

Objectives: As we strongly believe that treating the mitral valve abnormalities is a key feature of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), we have systematically corrected both the anterior and posterior leaflet (PL) size and geometry. We have analysed our immediate results and at mid-term follow-up.

Methods: From March 2010 until June 2015, 16 patients with HOCM underwent surgical correction of obstruction.

Functional tricuspid regurgitation: a need to revise our understanding.

The assessment of the etiology and severity of functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) has many limitations, especially when tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is more than severe. Instead of relying solely on TR severity, a new approach not only takes into account the severity of TR, but also pays strict attention to tricuspid annular dilation (size), the mode of tricuspid leaflet coaptation, and tricuspid leaflet tethering-factors often influenced by right ventricular enlargement and dysfunction. To simplify things, we propose a new staging system for functional tricuspid valve pathology using 3 parameters that may more accurately reflect the severity of the disease: TR severity, annular dilation, and mode of leaflet coaptation (extent of tethering).

Giant right ventricular fibroma co-existing atrial septal defect in a 15 year old girl.

The most common benign cardiac tumours are the myxomas, the rhabdomyomas, and the fibromas, with the latter 2 variants being the most common tumours encountered in children. The size and location of tumours within the heart create a variety of clinical findings, such as murmurs, chest pain, tachyarrythmias, and congestive cardiac failure. Nowadays, the tumours are usually diagnosed by echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac catheterization.