Contemporary application of cardiovascular hemodynamics: transcatheter mitral valve interventions.

Since the development and refinement of echocardiography, this technique has, for some time, been the mainstay for hemodynamic assessment of the mitral valve. This article discusses the key components of the invasive hemodynamic assessment of mitral valve disease and illustrates their utility through percutaneous transluminal mitral valvuloplasty for mitral stenosis and the novel transcatheter mitral valve repair using the MitraClip for mitral regurgitation. Changes in left atrial pressure and waveform, mean gradient, and cardiac output are critical assessment parameters for both safety and efficacy. Invasive hemodynamic assessment is an essential complement to echocardiography for the optimal guidance of these procedures.