Interv Akut Kardiol. 2018;17(3):164-168 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2018.010

Timing surgery in mitral regurgitation: defining risk using stress echocardiography

Martin Troubil

Kardiochirurgická klinika, Fakultní nemocnice Olomouc

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the second most common valvular disease requiring surgery. Proper identification of surgical candidatesand optimising the timing of surgery are key in management. For primary MR, this relies upon a balance between theperi-operative risks and rates of successful repair in patients undergoing early surgery when asymptomatic with the potentialrisk of irreversible left ventricular dysfunction if intervention is delayed. For secondary MR, recognition that this is a highly dynamiccondition where MR severity may change is key, although data on outcomes in determining whether concomitant valveintervention is performed with revascularisation has raised questions regarding timing of surgery. There has been substantialinterest in the use of stress echocardiography to risk stratify patients in mitral regurgitation. This article reviews the role of stressechocardiography in both primary and secondary mitral regurgitation.

Keywords: stress echocardiography, primary mitral regurgitation, secondary mitral regurgitation

Received: May 10, 2018; Accepted: June 2, 2018; Published: October 1, 2018  Show citation