Table 2:  Definitions of emergency/urgent cardiac surgery cases adopted in Lombardy during the COVID-19 outbreak
Acute aortic syndrome  Acute aortic dissection/intramural haematoma (excluding patients with coma OR age >80 years with stroke and/or evident visceral malperfusion)
Ascending aortic aneurysm ≥6 cm
Ascending aortic aneurysm ≥5.5 cm AND:
Marfan syndrome/other collagenopathy OR
Aneurysm increase >5 mm/year OR
Uncontrolled hypertension
Aortic valve  Severe aortic stenosis AND symptoms (i.e. lipotimia OR angina OR dyspnoea NYHA III/IV)
Severe aortic regurgitation AND:
Pulmonary oedema
Haemodynamic instability
Mitral valve  Severe mitral stenosis AND:
Pulmonary oedema OR
Haemodynamic instability
2. Acute mitral insufficiency due to papillary muscle/chordal rupture leading to pulmonary oedema
Ischaemic cardiopathy  Unstable angina
Severe LMCA stenosis ≥70%
Subocclusive proximal LAD stenosis not suitable for PCI
Postinfarction ventricular septal/cardiac rupture
Acute endocarditis  Emergency or urgent cases (as defined by European Society of Cardiology/European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Guidelines)
Severe bioprosthetic/mechanical valve dysfunction  Emergency or urgent cases resulting in: Heart failure OR
Haemodynamic instability
Heart failure  Non-deferrable need for LVAD implantation
Miscellaneous  Cardiac tamponade
Atrial myxoma OR other cardiac tumours with:
High embolic risk OR
In the presence of AV valve obstruction
AV: atrioventricular; COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; LAD: left anterior descending; LMCA: left main coronary artery; LVAD: left ventricular assist device; NYHA: New York Heart Association; PCI: percutaneous coronary intervention.