The role of echocardiography in the management of patients with myxomatous disease.

Degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR), the leading cause of organic MR in western countries, is primarily characterized by mitral valve prolapse but encompasses a wide spectrum of anatomic lesions from fibroelastic deficiency (localized prolapse segment often associated with ruptured chordae) to diffuse myxomatous degeneration (Barlow's disease, diffuse excessive tissue with multiple valvular segments involved). Echocardiography is the method of choice to evaluate patients with degenerative MR and plays a crucial role in clinical management. It allows accurate assessment of MR severity, left ventricular and atrial consequences, etiology, mechanisms and anatomic lesions and consequently defines the probability of mitral valve repair.