Mitral restenosis and its surgical treatment

The study of late results (from 1 to 16 years) of mitral commissurotomy in 1254 patients showed that restenosis supervened in 11% of cases, and among children and youths below 18 in 19.4%. Immediate results of mitral recommissurotomy were analysed in 747 patients operated on by the "close" method. Complications during the operation were seen in 13.8% of patients, and after operation in 23.1% of cases. The main reasons of lethal outcomes were haemorrhage and cerebral thromboembolism. Low operation mortality and considerable improvement in the majority of cases enable us to consider the "close" operation as the main method to treat mitral restenosis. Calcinosis, gross fibrosis of the valve and marked mitral regurgitation require valve prosthesis.