It has been long believed that ischemic mitral regurgitation is secondary to left ventricular remodelling and the mitral per se remains unaffected. This proviso has recently been challenged and the mitral valve has been described as a structure that responds and adapts to challenges and attempts to correct the mitral regurgitation. The response of mitral valves in this setting can be incomplete or can even be mal-adapted. The ability of the mitral valve to respond in this manner has been described as “mitral plasticity”. Endothelial to Mesenchymal transition and Valvular Interstitial Cells are key to this mitral plasticity and function through a complex array of signalling pathways. Identification and manipulation of these pathways may provide a possibility to correct the incomplete or mal-adapted mitral valve responses. Surgical treatment can also be tailored based on whether the valve has maladapted or has undergone incomplete adaptation.

The authors in this manuscript have reported an increase in the number of vascular emergencies seen during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Lombardy region of Italy. A significant increase in the number of acute limb ischaemia was seen during this phase along with other vascular emergencies. In this review, we have tried to examine this association between increase in vascular emergencies and COVID-19 infection. We have also described the differences in presentations, prognosis and procedural outcomes following operative interventions in these patients compared to the non-COVID patients. An attempt has been made to assess the role of adjunctive measures like intravenous heparin to improve outcomes.

The authors share their experience of managing the cardiac surgery services across London during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic. The Pan London Emergency Cardiac Surgery Service model could serve as a blueprint to design policies applicable to other surgical specialities and parts of the UK and worldwide.

The current Covid-19 pandemic is a significant global health threat. The outbreak has profoundly affected all healthcare professionals, including heart surgeons. To adapt to these exceptional circumstances, cardiac surgeons had to change their practice significantly. We herein discuss the challenges and broad implications of the Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of the heart surgeons.