title: An isolated anterior mitral leaflet cleft: a case report.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Cardiodiagnostica non invasiva, Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo-Forlanini, Rome, Italy. giovanni.minardi@libero.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pulignano
authors.forename: Paolo Giuseppe
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boccardi
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manzara
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Musumeci
mesh_terms: 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