Coronary angioplasty for acute mitral regurgitation due to myocardial infarction. A nonsurgical treatment preserving mitral valve integrity.

Three patients presented to the cardiac catheterization laboratory with myocardial infarction, severe mitral regurgitation, and pulmonary edema. Two patients were in cardiogenic shock at the time of cardiac catheterization. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was done on the occluded artery in all three patients with resolution of the pulmonary edema as well as auscultative evidence of mitral regurgitation. The mean pulmonary wedge pressure dropped from 34 to 10 mm Hg in these patients. Mean follow-up of 11.7 months showed no evidence of clinical heart failure, angina pectoris, or auscultative evidence of mitral regurgitation.