Echocardiography:
The diagnostic test for MVR was performed by echocardiography as a standard test in the initial evaluation of patients with known or suspected valvular heart disease.
Transesophageal echocardiograms were performed intraoperatively in all patients after the repair or replacement, whereas transthoracic echocardiograms were performed routinely within 30 days and after 3 years in all patients after surgery.