Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
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Due to limited exposure, removal of intracavitary air and visual assessment of cardiac function during minimally invasive procedures are not always possible. We analysed the utility of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and postoperative transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) in minimally invasive mitral valve (MV) procedures. ⋯ Intraoperative TEE is essential for minimally invasive MV surgery, because it allows immediate control of valve function before and after surgery. It is useful to detect unexpected complications requiring immediate remedy. Postoperative echocardiographic results show that minimally invasive MV surgery is a good alternative to conventional surgery even in complex MV repairs.