An isolated anterior mitral leaflet cleft: a case report.
BACKGROUND
The anterior mitral leaflet cleft is an unusual congenital lesion most often encountered in association with other congenital heart defects. The isolated anterior leaflet cleft is quite a rare anomaly and is usually cause of mitral valve regurgitation. The importance of the lesion is that it is often correctable. When feasible, cleft suture and, eventually, annuloplasty are preferable to valve replacement. Echocardiography is the first choice technique in the evaluation of mitral valve disease, providing useful information about valve anatomy and hemodynamic parameters.


METHODS
We present a case of an isolated anterior mitral leaflet cleft producing moderate-severe mitral regurgitation correctly identified by echocardiography and successfully surgically corrected.


CONCLUSIONS
Isolated cleft is a rare aberration, that has to be known in order to be diagnosed. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography is the most useful non invasive technique for cleft diagnosis and to indicate the right surgical correction.
Minardi
Giovanni
G
Cardiodiagnostica non invasiva, Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo-Forlanini, Rome, Italy. giovanni.minardi@libero.it
Leonetti
Stefania
S
Bernardi
Leda
L
Pulignano
Giovanni
G
Pino
Paolo Giuseppe
PG
Boccardi
Lidia
L
Manzara
Carla
C
Musumeci
Francesco
F
D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery