PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - B Bridgewater
AU  - T Hooper
AU  - C Munsch
AU  - S Hunter
AU  - U von Oppell
AU  - S Livesey
AU  - B Keogh
AU  - F Wells
AU  - M Patrick
AU  - J Kneeshaw
AU  - J Chambers
AU  - N Masani
AU  - S Ray
TI  - Mitral repair best practice: proposed standards
AID  - 10.1136/hrt.2005.076109
DP  - 2006 Jul 01
TA  - Heart
PG  - 939--944
VI  - 92
IP  - 7
4099  - http://heart.bmj.com/content/92/7/939.short
4100  - http://heart.bmj.com/content/92/7/939.full
SO  - Heart2006 Jul 01; 92
AB  - Objectives: To define best practice standards for mitral valve repair surgery. Design: Development of standards for process and outcome by consensus. Setting: Multidisciplinary panel of surgeons, anaesthetists, and cardiologists with interests and expertise in caring for patients with severe mitral regurgitation. Main outcome measures: Standards for best practice were defined including the full spectrum of multidisciplinary aspects of care. Results: 19 criteria for best practice were defined including recommendations on surgical training, intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography, surgery for atrial fibrillation, audit, and cardiology and imaging issues. Conclusions: Standards for best practice in mitral valve repair were defined by multidisciplinary consensus. This study gives centres undertaking mitral valve repair an opportunity to benchmark their care against agreed standards that are challenging but achievable. Working towards these standards should act as a stimulus towards improvements in care.