Mitral Valve Prolapse, Not Always an Easy Diagnosis

Abstract

Abstract We present the case of a 61-year-old male patient, with no medical history, who was presenting for an anterior chest pain, which appeared suddenly during an effort, accompanied by palpitations, fatigue and dyspnea Physical examination revealed the presence of a 4/6 systolic murmur with maximal auscultation at the apex and radiation in the left axilla. Echocardiographic evaluation revealed diagnostically suggestive elements for severe posterior mitral valve prolapse without any rupture, color Doppler showing severe mitral regurgitation, a tricuspid valve prolapse, tricuspid regurgitation grade III and pulmonary hypertension. Coronary angiography revealed coronary arteries without hemodynamically significant lesions, and Holter ECG/24-hour monitoring detected atrial fibrillation in 44% of the monitoring time. In this context, the possible causes of the anterior chest pain were: microvascular angina, traction on the chordae or pulmonary hypertension. The patient had a surgical indication for mitral valve replacement or reconstruction. The department of cardiac surgery undergoes mitral valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis with a favorable outcome.