Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy using Inoue catheter in juvenile rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) using Inoue balloon was performed in 270 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Of these 81 (27%), 48 males and 33 females, had juvenile mitral stenosis (age < 20 years, range 9-20 years mean 14 +/- 5). All patients were symptomatic (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class III in 61 patients and class IV in 20 patients). Following PTMC, the mitral valve area (MVA) increased from 0.8 +/- 0.4 to 2.2 +/- 0.5 cm2 (P < 0.001) and the cardiac index increased from 2.4 +/- 0.8 to 3.0 +/- 0.8 L/min/m2 (P < 0.001). Mean transmitral gradients decreased from 24 +/- 8 to 4 +/- 3 mm Hg (P < 0.001). Three (4%) patients had an increase in mitral regurgitation by 1 grade (grade 2/4); however, none required surgery. Significant left to right atrial shunt (Qp/Qs > 1.3: 1) on oximetry was detected in 8 (10%) patients. Overall results were compared to those with adult subgroup of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (n = 189, 100 females and 89 males), who underwent PTMC simultaneously. Their age ranged from 21 to 44 years (mean 32 +/- 11 years). The percentage increase in MVA was higher in juvenile as compared to adult patients (172 +/- 61 vs. 154 +/- 69, respectively, P < 0.01). A larger final MVA was achieved in the juvenile group (2.2 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.3 cm2, P < 0.05). However, the incidence of increase in mitral regurgitation by 1 grade was similar in two groups (6% vs. 4%, P = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)