Mitral valve can be termed as the most important valve of heart . The reason for this : It is the only valve that is dependent on the Left ventricular function (The parameter which determines the ultimate outcome in any form CAD ! )
So , indirectly mitral valve function will invariably be affected by some degree at least in most patients with LV dysfunction. (After all LV free wall , is a component of mitral valve apparatus.)
While , we have numerous modalities to assess mitral valve function , the one that has fascinated the surgeons during mitral valve surgery is the intra operative TEE.
Many believe TEE provides live images of mitral valve which are not possible even under direct vision ! The eye of the TEE sees the mitral valve from a posterior location , (of -course It can see at any angle !) while surgeon can see in one angle . The types of repair , the adequacy of repair, the annulus status, even a trial mitral run , can be done with the help of TEE.
The TEE probe silently does this job sitting inside the esophagus , without obstructing the surgeon’s operative field .
The success of TEE as an investigative tool did not come easy.Decades of observation , innovation and learning( Especially from department of cardiac science Mayo clinic USA , where they standardized the views. ) are involved .
Now we have omni plane, real time 3D TEE probes .
The books which are considered the best for TEE aspects of mitral valve and it’s repair are
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 