[Mitral commissurotomy in children and adolescents]

The article analyses the results of operations on 184 children and adolescents with rheumatic mitral stenosis. "Pure" mitral stenosis was diagnosed in 48.4% of patients, valvular stenosis in combination with relative tricuspid insufficiency--in 23.4%, mitral valvular disease with I degree regurgitation--in 26%, and mitral stenosis combined with aortic valvular diseases which did not need surgical correction--in 2.2% of patients. Transventricular instrumental commissurotomy was performed in 73.9% of patients, digital commissurotomy--in 7.1%, open mitral commissurotomy under conditions of extracorporeal circulation--in 3 patients. Adequate distention of the mitral orifice was achieved in 84% of patients, incomplete separation--in 16%. Complications occurred after the operation in 29.7% of patients. Traumatic mitral insufficiency developed in 38 patients. The immediate results were good in 84.2%, satisfactory--in 9.9%, and poor--in 3.2% of patients. Hospital mortality was 2.7%.