Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty in patients with low cardiac output at high surgical risk.

Among 1146 patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty for symptomatic mitral stenosis, 8 (4 men and women) were at high risk for surgery on the basis of the New York Heart Association functional class IV (n=8), severe pulmonary hypertension (n=5). All these patients aged 30±23.6 years had signs of right heart failure, high echocardiographic score (9.6±3.6) and low mitral valve area (0.50±0.19 cm2).