Undetected or untreated, aortic aneurysms can be fatal. New guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association suggest earlier intervention to help patients who typically go undiagnosed or untreated.

The complex physiology and function of the aorta make the successful diagnosis and treatment of aortic regurgitation a highly nuanced endeavor.

When a patient’s aortic valve is irreparably damaged, either because it has calcified and narrowed (Aortic Stenosis) or because it is leaking (Aortic Regurgitation), one proven therapy is the Ross procedure.

Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) is caused by blood clots in the lung arteries and may be a common cause of pulmonary hypertension that can in turn cause heart failure, and often goes undiagnosed. 

In Part 2 of our discussion on the risk of sudden cardiac death from arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse, a case study offers new insights into properly identifying, diagnosing and treating high-risk patients. Topics include:

Arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse has been identified as a potential cause of sudden cardiac death among some patients with primary mitral regurgitation. What are critical indications and possible mechanisms?

Reviewing surgical video from a case study, we explore the complexity of diagnosing mitral valve endocarditis, especially when there is a risk of embolism.

In this video we review a challenging case of a 48-year-old woman presenting with chest pain. We explore the role of Echo, CT, and MRI imaging, and highlight how surprising and dramatic results led to a diagnosis of a Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm (LVPA). Using excellent intraoperative surgical video, we also explore the best surgical approach to treating LVPA.

Mitral Annular Calcification (MAC) is a complex and increasingly common syndrome. In this discussion we review Mount Sinai’s proven algorithm for determining the best treatment for MAC, as well as imaging and intraoperative videos.

In this discussion we review a six-year study of over 53,000 patients that reveals the extraordinary safety and durability of mitral valve repairs among patients with primary mitral regurgitation.

Secondary mitral valve regurgitation increases the dangers of heart failure, and the two conditions are often encountered together.

This Mitral Foundation Teaching Library case is going to demonstrate teaching points in the repair of multi-segment Barlow's mitral valve disease.

This Mitral Foundation Teaching Library case is going to demonstrate sliding leaflet plasty in combination with annular plication to treat a patient with a Barlow's malformation.

Triangular resection is a simple technique. It's designed to correct prolapse at the margin of the leaflet.

There are a variety of repair strategies that are useful for anterior leaflet prolapse.

The key teaching points that we show in this video is patch augmentation is the primary strategy for a perforation, whether that's healed or acute in the anterior leaflet.

In this video we show an example of a reconstruction of Barlow's valve disease in a patient that has calcification of the annulus.

High velocity jets after mitral valve repair strongly suggest leaflet perforation. They're usually simple lesions to re-repair. And if patients are stable and have good ventricular function, it's usually worth a second look on bypass to identify them.

Systolic anterior motion occurs after mitral valve repair due to an excess of leaflet tissue versus the anterior lateral height of the orifice of the mitral valve. The posterior leaflet pushes the anterior leaflet into the outflow tract. There are two principal causes for this.

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Mitral Valve Regurgitation

OPERATION: Mitral Valve Repair (Fibroelastic Deficiency with Ruptured Chordae and P2 Prolapse; Quadrangular Resection with Vertical Plication and True Size 36 Physio-Ring Annuloplasty)

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Mitral Regurgitation

This Mitral Foundation Teaching Library case is going to highlight the first U.S. implantation of the Edwards Lifesciences Physio II Annuloplasty Ring.

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Mitral Regurgitation

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Barlow's Mitral Valve Disease

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Mitral Regurgitation