Transesophageal echocardiography and scopy co-guided percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty procedure: Experience of a tertiary health center with a literature review

• Main Authors: Emre Ozdemir, Sadik Volkan Emren, Nihan Kahya Eren, Cem Nazli, Mehmet Tokaç
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: International Journal of the Cardiovascular Academy
• Subjects: balloon valvuloplasty; echocardiography; fluoroscopy; mitral valve stenosis; rheumatic heart disease
• Online Access: http://www.ijcva.com/article.asp?issn=2405-8181;year=2019;volume=5;issue=4;spage=116;epage=120;aulast=Ozdemir
• ISSN: 2405-8181; 2405-819X

Objective: Rheumatic valvular heart disease (RVHD) is an important health problem in Turkey, as in all developing countries. There is no exact prevalence data for RVHD in Turkey. But according to the Jones criteria, Turkey has a moderate risk for acute rheumatic fever (ARF). Patients with recurrent bouts of ARF resulting in carditis can progress to RVHD. The aim of this study was to evaluate percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) procedures and compared the findings with the literature. Materials and Methods: PMBV procedure indication was determined according to the guidelines and heart team consensus. Echocardiography was evaluated prior to PBMV in all patients. The study included a total of 131 patients who underwent PMBV in the cardiology clinic of our hospital in the period 2007–2017. All PBMV procedures were performed under intraprocedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance in addition to fluoroscopy with general anesthesia. Results: The patients comprised 83% female and 17% male with a mean age of 41.2 ± 10.1 years. Mean ejection fraction was 60.3% ± 3.1%, mean left atrium diameter was 46.7 ± 5.3 mm, and mean Wilkins score was 8.7 ± 1. After procedure with there was no mortality. There was statistically significant increase on mitral valve area and statistically significant decrease on pulmonary arterial pressure and statistically significant decrease on transmitral gradient. Conclusion: This is one of the few studies worldwide to have detected the safety and efficacy of PBMV with TEE and scopy coguidance. It is the first such study in Turkey. In accordance with the literature, the procedures performed with TEE and fluoroscopy co-guidance in our clinic have increased the safety of the procedure and decreased complication rates.