[Results of surgery for mitral valve stenosis]

Long-term follow-up of 1806 patients si subjected to mitral commisurotomy and 122 fitted with a prosthesis for stenosis is described. Of those operated by means of the closed technique, 70% were in functional stage I or II after 10 yr (55% after 15 yr). It would seem from these results that surgery has an important effect on the natural history of mitral stenosis when treated solely medically.