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Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy was performed in 484 patients by the double balloon technique and by Inoue's technique in 33 patients. The average age of the patients was 33.6 +/- 13 years (range: 8 to 72 years); 30% were in atrial fibrillation. A primary failure was observed in 10 patients (2%). The acute mortality was 0.4% and first month mortality 0.6%, the main cause being perforation of the left ventricle. The incidence of systemic embolism was 2%, related to atrial fibrillation (p < 0.016); this complication disappeared after systematic utilisation of transoesophageal echocardiography. Grade 4+ mitral regurgitation was created in 5 patients (1%) and grade 3+ in 20 others (3.9%). A score > 8 (p < 0.006) and preexisting grade 1+ mitral regurgitation (p < 0.005) were predictive factors of these severe regurgitations. They were also more frequent with Inoue's technique (10.5%; p < 0.05). Surgical intervention was necessary during the first month in 5 patients and at long-term (38 +/- 24 months) in 15 others. A tear in the anterior leaflet and ruptured chordae tendinae were the main mechanisms. The most common minor complication was the creation of a small interatrial shunt (16%) without any immediate or long-term complications. With a major complication rate of 4.2%, the mitral surface area increased from 0.97 to 2.2 cm2 and the cardiac index from 3 to 3.6 l/min/m2; left atrial pressure fell from 27 to 15 mmHg (p < 0.0001): the incidence of residual stenosis was only 2%. Seventy nine per cent of patients were asymptomatic and 16% were paucisymptomatic (class II) at long-term. Systematic transoesophageal echocardiography to detect thrombi, the use of pig-tail or Inoue catherters, effective heparinisation during a prolonged procedure and improved experience of the medical teams, should result in a further reduction of the risks of percutaneous mitral commissurotomy.

Percutaneous balloon mitral commissurotomy was attempted in Tunisia, where rheumatic fever is still endemic, in 463 consecutive patients with severe rheumatic mitral valve stenosis. Their mean age +/- SD was 33 +/- 12 years (range 8 to 68), 324 patients (70%) were women, and 327 (71%) were in sinus rhythm. Valvotomy was technically successful in 454 patients (98%). The mean mitral valve gradient decreased from 20 +/- 7 to 6 +/- 4 mm Hg, mean left atrial pressure decreased from 27 +/- 8 to 15 +/- 6 mm Hg, cardiac index increased from 3.0 +/- 0.7 to 3.6 +/- 0.8 L/min/m2, and Gorlin mitral valve area, from 0.97 +/- 0.19 to 2.2 +/- 0.4 cm2 (all p < 0.001). Two-dimensional echocardiographic mitral valve area increased from 1.03 +/- 0.18 to 2.15 +/- 0.36 cm2 (p < 0.00001). A final valve area of > or = 1.5 cm2 was achieved in 98% of patients. Multivariate analysis identified a pre-mitral valve area < 0.8 cm2 and an echocardiographic score (echo score) > or = 12 as the strongest predictors of residual stenosis (final mitral valve area < 1.5 cm2). Major procedural complications included mortality (0.4%), tamponade (0.7%), thromboembolism (2.0%), severe mitral regurgitation (4.6%), significant (pulmonary to systemic flow ratio > or = 1.5) interatrial shunt (4.8%). Four hundred thirty patients were followed up between 6 and 82 months (mean 37 +/- 22): 95% were in functional class I to II without reintervention, and 7 patients died (1.6%); restenosis (echocardiographic mitral valve area < 1.5 cm2) occurred in 10.4% of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The follow-up results between Inoue balloon (n = 43, group 1) and double-balloon (n = 43, group 2) mitral valvotomies were compared in a patient-to-patient matched study. Matching was based on patients' age, mitral valve echo score, fluoroscopic calcification, mitral valve area before valvotomy, and follow-up period. The mean follow-up period was 13 +/- 9 months for both groups. At follow-up, 72% of patients were symptom free in each group; 2 (4.7%) patients in group 1 and 1 (2.3%) patient in group 2 underwent mitral valve replacement surgery. Of these 3 patients, 2 died after surgery, 1 from each group. The mitral valve area by Doppler was 1.8 +/- 0.3 cm2 in group 1 and 1.8 +/- 0.4 cm2 in group 2 (p = 0.7); the area by echo planimetry was 1.7 +/- 0.3 cm2 in group 1 and 1.8 +/- 0.3 cm2 in group 2 (p = 0.3) at follow-up. Restenosis occurred in 5 (12%) patients from each group. The cumulative restenosis-free rate was 96% at 1 years, 78% at 2 years, and 58% at 3 years in group 1 and 98%, 76%, and 51%, respectively, in group 2 (p = 0.8). Balloon selection did not appear to influence the clinical outcome at follow-up. We conclude that both the inoue balloon and the double-balloon valvotomies are effective therapies with comparable follow-up results for patients with mitral stenosis.

This study was conducted to establish the validity of left-sided cardiac output measurement with a Swan-Ganz catheter and assess its accuracy in estimating mitral valve area (MVA) by the Gorlin formula. The use of right-sided cardiac output after balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV) can give inaccurate measurements for Gorlin-derived MVA because of the atrial septal defect (ASD) created during the procedure. The left-sided cardiac output was measured with a Swan-Ganz catheter (proximal port in the left atrium and then in the left ventricle, and distal port in the ascending aorta) in 10 consecutive patients before and after BMV. Gorlin-derived MVA cardiac output by this method was compared with (1) Gorlin-derived MVA by means of right-sided cardiac output with and without balloon occlusion of the ASD and (2) MVA measured by echocardiography. Before BMV, a close agreement with a good correlation between left-sided and right-sided cardiac output was found (r = 0.83, p = 0.006). Furthermore, Gorlin-derived MVA by cardiac output with either method was comparable with valve area by echo. After BMV, left-sided cardiac output correlated well (r = 0.92, p = 0.0002) and was comparable with right-sided cardiac output with occlusion of the ASD (mean difference 0.17 +/- 0.49 L/min, p = 0.3) but was significantly lower than the value obtained with open ASD (mean difference 0.93 +/- 0.77 L/min, p = 0.004). Comparison of the correspondent MVAs yielded similar results. Gorlin-derived MVA with left-sided cardiac output and MVA by echo were also similar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Transluminal extraction catheter atherectomy of a saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery was performed in a 72-year-old female and was complicated by distal embolization. A successful transcatheter aspiration of the embolic plaque was achieved. The usefulness of this technique as a coronary intervention is discussed.

Normal gestation is associated with a hyperdynamic adaptive state. The circulatory changes represent an additional burden on the cardiovascular system of women with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). Life-threatening complications can occur in pregnant women with severe MS. We successfully performed percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy (PMV) in eight pregnant patients (mean age 28 +/- 6.9 years, range 21-38 years). Pregnancy mean age was 24.6 +/- 6.5 weeks. Five patients were in NYHA functional class III and three patients were in class IV. Emergency PMV seemed to be life saving to both mother and foetus in one case. All patients but one had pliable valves. PMV was achieved using the double balloon transseptal technique. To protect the foetus from radiation, the patient's pelvic-abdominal area was shielded and left ventriculography was not performed. The total mean time of PMV was 72 +/- 19 min and that of fluoroscopy was 16.6 +/- 7.8 min. Gorlin's mitral valve area increased from 0.83 +/- 0.15 to 2.4 +/- 0.34 cm2 and the cardiac index from 3.1 +/- 0.77 to 4.2 +/- 0.79 l.min-1.m-2. Left atrium pressure decreased from 29 +/- 10 to 14 +/- 5 mmHg and mitral valve gradient from 21 +/- 7 to 6 +/- 3 mmHg. There were no complications or residual MS. At a mean follow-up of 13.2 +/- 9.4 months, all patients were in NYHA class I and had a normal course of pregnancy. The eight women delivered healthy full-term babies. At 1-25 months post-partum follow-up, the eight infants had shown normal growth and development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Objectives: The goal of the study was to evaluate the progressive increase in ischemic threshold with multiple sequential transient coronary occlusions and to assess the role of the collateral circulation in adaptation to ischemia., Background: It has been observed that the duration of balloon inflations during coronary angioplasty can be gradually prolonged during subsequent dilations with a reduction in patient symptoms and diminished ischemic electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. Although the mechanism has not been fully explained, recruitment of coronary collateral circulation induced by repeated coronary occlusion has been reported. The stimuli for recruitment and the natural history of coronary collateral circulation are not understood., Methods: Seventeen patients with isolated stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and a normal left ventricle were enrolled. Angioplasty consisted of five successive prolonged inflations. Sequential changes in clinical, intracoronary ECG and left ventricular indexes of myocardial ischemia were examined. Coronary collateral channels were evaluated during balloon inflations by ipsilateral and contralateral injections of contrast medium and hemodynamically by occlusion pressure., Results: An improved tolerance to myocardial ischemia with repetitive coronary occlusions was demonstrated by a significant reduction of angina, ST segment deviation, left ventricular filling pressure and less impairment of ejection fraction. Left ventricular wall motion abnormalities remained unchanged. Collateral angiographic grade did not change in 7 patients and increased in 10., Conclusions: This study confirms a progressive adaptation of myocardial ischemia to repetitive coronary occlusions and supports the concept that sequential episodes of myocardial ischemia are a stimulating factor for the recruitment of collateral channels in humans. These results also suggest that enhancement of recruitable collateral circulation might be an underlying mechanism of myocardial ischemic preconditioning.

This is a 43-yr-old female presenting with recurrent atrial septal defect, closed surgically, 10 years prior, severe aortic and mitral stenosis, and severe tricuspid regurgitation. She was considered inoperable because of the severe pulmonary hypertension and the complexity of the disease. A percutaneous umbrella closure of the atrial septal defect in conjunction with mitral and aortic balloon valvotomies could be safely and successfully performed. After significant clinical and hemodynamic improvement, surgery was judged feasible, but was refused by the patient who suddenly expired 8 weeks later. The usefulness of percutaneous therapy as a rescue procedure and the management of patients with Eisenmenger's physiology are discussed.

Emergency aortic valvuloplasty was performed as a last resort in 34 patients with an average age of 76 years with critical aortic stenosis in the terminal stages with congestive cardiac failure or cardiogenic shock. Emergency aortic valve replacement was considered to be too risky in these cases. The valve was dilated in all patients, resulting in a fall in mean peak-to-peak pressure gradients from 59 mmHg to 21 mmHg and an increase in valve surface area from 0.42 cm2 to 0.85 cm2. Significant improvement in myocardial function was observed immediately after the procedure with an increase of the cardiac index from 1.77 l/min/m2 to 2.07 l/min/m2 and of the ejection fraction from 28% to 35%. Complications were rare. There were no deaths or cerebrovascular accidents during the valvuloplasty procedure. Two patients died in hospital (6%) after the dilatation and two other patients who had persistent pulmonary oedema, underwent surgery; one died and the other had a good surgical result. A clear cut clinical improvement was obtained in the other 30 patients. The patients were followed up for an average of 15 +/- 7 months during which 15 died (50%), 6 +/- 5 months after dilatation. The other 15 survivors have a significant and unhoped for functional improvement. Three young patients later underwent surgical valve replacement in good clinical conditions with the same operative risk as that of standard candidates for aortic valve surgery. One other patient was operated on successfully during another relapse of cardiac failure. These results show that aortic valvuloplasty may be undertaken with a low risk even in the most critical clinical situations and that the procedure rapidly relieves the invalidating symptoms. It may be used as a bridge to surgery in patients with an unacceptable operative risk. The indications should be very flexible in young patients in terminal cardiac failure with cardiogenic shock or refractory pulmonary oedema.

The authors report the results of a series of 3 cases of double valvuloplasty with a balloon catheter in young patients with combined mitral and tricuspid stenosis. Haemodynamic and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation after the procedure showed comparable results to those of surgical commissurotomy without significant secondary valvular regurgitation. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up showed that valvular opening remained satisfactory in the 2 cases examined. Percutaneous valvuloplasty would seem to be a valuable alternative to surgical commissurotomy in selected patients with combined mitral and tricuspid valve stenosis.

Synchronized coronary venous retroperfusion was applied and studied in 16 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) balloon dilatation of proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis. The rationale for using retroperfusion support during the PTCA-induced coronary artery occlusions was to ameliorate or prevent myocardial ischemia and possibly facilitate extension of the PTCA balloon-inflation period. After therapeutic PTCA treatment, which successfully dilated the culprit coronary artery in all 16 patients, and a 5-minute recovery period, a single retroperfusion-treated LAD occlusion (101 +/- 36 seconds) was compared with equivalent untreated control LAD occlusions (86 +/- 24 seconds) before and after the retroperfusion-supported balloon occlusion. Observations and measurements encompassed 1) ease and time of coronary sinus catheterization, 2) incidence of anginal pain during LAD occlusion, 3) electrocardiographic signs of myocardial ischemia, and 4) two-dimensional echocardiographic indexes of global left ventricular function. The coronary sinus was successfully catheterized within 139 +/- 140 seconds, and in 12 of the 16 patients, the tip of the special autoinflatable retroperfusion balloon catheter could be placed in the desired location of the great cardiac vein. The retroperfusion protocol interfered minimally with the PTCA procedure, and application of the support system had no deleterious effects. As compared with the pain reported 23 (72%) times during the 32 control LAD occlusions, only five (31%) of the patients indicated pain or discomfort during the retroperfused occlusions. Treated occlusions exhibited delayed or significantly lower electrocardiographic ST segment elevations (sum, 10.4 +/- 7.8 mm) as compared with the controls (sum, 16.2 +/- 7.9 mm and 18.8 +/- 10.6 mm; both p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In our first 80 attempts of percutaneous double balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) 77 procedures have been successful. The mean patients age was 44 +/- 17 years, there were 16 men; 12 patients had previously been operated, 29 patients had important valvular deterioration (calcifications, thickening or unpliability) or of subvalvar system. For technical failure BMV was performed with only one balloon in 8 patients. BMV resulted in significant improvement in haemodynamic values: the mean capillary pressure fell from 22 +/- 6 to 12 +/- 5 mmHg (p less than 0.001), the mean mitral gradient from 15 +/- 6 to 5 +/- 3 mmHg (p less than 0.001). Cardiac index remained unchanged. The hemodynamic valve area, by Gorlin formula, increased from 1.09 +/- 0.29 to 2.19 +/- 0.72 cm2 (p less than 0.001). Doppler and echocardiography data were similar to haemodynamic data. Mitral valve area obtained with BMV was equivalent to the area usually obtained in closed mitral commissurotomy. There were 3 tamponades. The first, in a patient to whom BMV was not successful. For the 2 others, surgically evacuated, intracavitary pressures were measured after surgical pericardial drain. BMV was of little efficacy in one patient who died 3 days thoracotomy. The three tamponades were caused by straight tip balloon left ventricle perforation. There was no tamponade with pigtail tip catheter balloon. Mitral valve regurgitation was never increased more than 1 + Interatrial septal defect with QP/QS greater than or equal to 1.5 and less than 2 was present in 5 patients. BMV may be a useful alternative to surgery with low incidence of complication. Mitral valve area increase is similar with both treatment.

A case of left ventricular perforation by straight-tipped balloon catheter during double-balloon mitral valvuloplasty with fatal outcome is presented. Technical considerations to prevent this complication are discussed.