CRITICAL MITRAL STENOSIS: A RARE PRESENTATION OF PEDIATRIC RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE

Rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) continue to be a major health hazard in most developing countries. Paediatric and juvenile mitral stenosis (MS), upto the age of 12 and 20yr respectively, severe enough to require operative treatment was documented. These negate the belief that patients of RHD become symptomatic ≥20 years after RF as well as the fact that congestive cardiac failure in childhood indicates active carditis and RF.