[Is closed mitral commissurotomy still indicated? Patient selection and postoperative problems. Analysis of 221...

Indications, findings, complications, and immediate results in 221 patients in whom a closed mitral commissurotomy was practiced are presented. Emphasis is placed on the rigidity of the clinical criteria to select these patients with the object of diminishing to a minimum the accidents or problems and unexpected findings. The results are considered satisfactory and comparable to those reported in other great centers. Finally we considered that the results obtained with this criteria for selection were very satisfactory, with reduction of the immediate mortality to 0% in comparison with others reported, and maintaining an index of complications which we consider minimum in its clinical repercussion to the patient and less than in other series.