Mitral valve regurgitation: use of the standard and the latest echocardiographic techniques for establishing the diagnosis.

An 80-year-old man had severe mitral regurgitation caused by myxomatous degeneration of the leaflets and perforation of the anterior leaflet. The patient underwent a transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiographic study, and three-dimensional echo was used to reinforce the diagnosis. Modern echocardiographic techniques appear to open new horizons in the study and management of valvular diseases, although they are still a long way from replacing traditional methods.