Critical mitral stenosis causing ischemic hepatic failure: successful treatment by percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy

We report a 52-year-old patient with severe mitral stenosis who developed a new onset atrial fibrillation, low output congestive heart failure and fulminant ischemic hepatic failure with subsequent severe coagulopathy. Percutaneous mitral valvotomy resulted in dramatic clinical improvement with complete resolution of liver function. This case illustrates the potential-life-saving role of percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy in treating critically ill patients who are unable to undergo thoracotomy due to coexisting medical illness.
Ischemic hepatic failure and coagulopathy due to critical mitral stenosis and low output cardiac failure are uncommon[1] and an attempt at surgical correction of the underlying mitral stenosis in this [...]