Percutaneous Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty for Patients with Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis

Rheumatic heart disease: current status of diagnosis and therapy

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the only preventable cardiovascular disease which causes significant morbidity and mortality particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Early clinical diagnosis is key, the updated Jones criteria increases the likelihood of diagnosis in endemic settings, including the echo diagnosis of sub-clinical carditis, polyarthralgia and monoarthritis as well as amended thresholds of minor criteria. The mainstay of rheumatic heart valve disease (RHVD) is a thorough clinical and echocardiographic investigation while severe disease is managed with medical, interventional and surgical treatment. In this report we detail some of the more recent epidemiological findings and focus on the diagnostic and interventional elements of the specific valve lesions. Finally, we discuss some of the recent efforts to improve medical and surgical management for this disease. As we are already more than a year from the historic 2018 World Heart Organization Resolution against Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease, we advocate strongly for renewed efforts to prioritize this disease across the endemic regions of the world.

[Results of percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy in pregnant women about 12 cases]

INTRODUCTION

Mitral stenosis (MS) is the most common valvular heart disease revealed or exacerbated by pregnancy. Percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy (PMC) is currently the treatment of choice when mitral valve morphology is favorable.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immediate, medium and long term results of percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy in pregnant women with a severe symptomatic mitral stenosis despite medical treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

It is a retrospective study including 12 pregnant patients diagnosed with severe mitral stenosis and hospitalized in the cardiology department of Habib Thameur hospital between 1994 and 2014. A clinical and ultrasonographic monitoring was performed for over 15 years.

RESULTS

Mean patients age was 31.5±4.4 years. All patients were in NYHA class III or IV despite medical treatment. Mitral regurgitation was rated as moderate in four cases. Functional improvement was observed in all cases immediately after the procedure. Mitral valve area increased from 1.02±0.5cm² averaged to 2±0.35cm². Mitral regurgitation increased in three cases and appeared in two cases. All patients delivered at term. Newborns were all healthy. Two of them had a low birth weight. On the long term follow-up (95.58±64.1 months), five patients had mitral restenosis: two had a surgical valve replacement and three underwent a second percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy.

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of the percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy is clearly documented by clinical and echocardiographic evaluation. In the case of pregnancy, the goal is not so much to obtain an optimal result but to cause hemodynamic improvement authorizing the continuation of pregnancy and childbirth.