Abstract
The long-term outcome of patients undergoing mitral valve repair (MVr)
is based on what happens during the more or less 60 minutes of aortic
cross clamping necessary to transform a leaking valve in a
well-functioning one. As a consequence, the experience of the surgeon
performing the procedure is the only determinant of the success rate
that deserves to be taken into account. It is clear from the literature
that the number of cases/year is inversely related to the number of
early and late deaths, of repair failures and of reoperations. However,
there is no agreement on the minimum caseload/year that represents the
threshold to identify surgeons that can perform or not MVr. This problem
then cannot be regulated by specific guidelines of by Scientific
Societies, but only by the ethical perception we have of our profession.