Balloon mitral valvuloplasty with bifoil catheter: Immediate and long-term follow-up results

This report documents clinical and hemodynamic benefits of balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) using a bifoil balloon catheter from a single center in 415 consecutive cases of rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). The procedure was successful in 396 (95.2%) patients, with an increase in mitral valve area (MVA) from 0.82 ± 0.35 cm2 to 2.21 ± 0.24 cm2 (P < 0.001). There were 2 (0.48%) in-hospital deaths, and 6 (1.44%) patients developed acute mitral regurgitation. The procedural and fluroscopy time was reduced significantly from 52 ± 11 and 38 ± 6 min to 33 ± 7 and 19 ± 5 min, respectively, after modifications of technique in our last 326 cases. The bifoil balloon catheter technique is safe and effective, and provides excellent hemodynamic benefits which are sustained at long-term follow-up. This technique should be considered as an addition to the existing armamentarium of interventional cardiologists performing mitral balloon valvuloplasty. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Diagn. 43:43–47, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.