Echocardiography in valvular heart disease.

In 1990, echocardiography continued to develop rapidly, with new applications in the operating room and new solutions to common problems in the management of valvular heart disease. The newly published experiences with transesophageal and epicardial intraoperative echocardiography from Duke and the Cleveland Clinic illustrate the utility of these methods. Refinement of our concepts of mitral valve prolapse has occurred, along with echo Doppler support for awaiting symptoms prior to valve replacement in aortic stenosis.