Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology

Background: Valvular heart diseases and mainly rheumatic heart diseases complicate about 1% of pregnancies. During pregnancy physiological hemodynamic changes of the circulation are the main cause of mitral stenosis (MS) decompensation. Prior to introduction of percutaneous mitral balloon commissuroplasty (PTMC), surgical comissurotomy was the preferred method of treatment in patients with refractory symptoms. PTMC is an established non-surgical treatment of rheumatic mitral stenosis. The study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of PTMC in pregnant women with severs mitral stenosis.

Material and Method: Thirty three consecutive patients undergoing PTMC during pregnancy enrolled in this prospective study. Mitral valve area (MVA), transmitral valve gradient (MVG), and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) were assessed before and 24 hour after the procedure by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Mitral valve morphology was evaluated before the procedure using Wilkin’s criteria. Patient followed for one month and neonates monitored for weight and height and adverse effect of radiation.

Result: Mitral valve area increased from 0.83 ± 0.13 cm² to 1.38 ± 0.29 cm² (P = 0.007). Mean gradient of mitral valve decreased from 15.5 ± 7.4 mmHg to 2.3 ± 2.3 mmHg (P = ,0.001). Pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 65.24 ± 17.9 to 50.45 ± 15.33 (P = 0.012). No maternal death, abortion, intrauterine growth restriction was observed and only one stillbirth occurred.

Conclusion: PTMC in pregnant women has favorable outcome and no harmful effect on children noted.