For patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis, balloon mitral valvotomy yields similar long-term results compared to a surgical procedure called commissurotomy, according to a University of Pittsburgh study presented today at the American Heart Association annual meeting in New Orleans.
Mitral stenosis is caused by childhood rheumatic fever, which damages the heart valve.
The valve slowly wears out and becomes more scarred over time. The scarring prevents the valve from opening and closing properly. In this study, we wanted to determine if outcomes for the balloon procedure would be comparable and sustained over the long term. In the surgical procedure, a surgeon uses a scalpel to remove scar tissue from the mitral valves. In the balloon procedure, a deflated balloon is inserted through an artery to the heart and into the area between the mitral valves.