Congenital mitral stenosis. A review of 20 years' experience

The clinical course of 38 patients with congenital mitral stenosis (MS) is reviewed. Associated cardiac defects were present in 28 patients, including tetralogy of Fallot in five. In all but one of the eight patients with supravalvar mitral ring (SVR), there were concomitant abnormalities of the mitral valve. Delay in the diagnosis of MS was common. Serial cardiac catheterizations and pulmonary pathologic examination indicated that pulmonary vascular obstructive disease develops during childhood. Mitral valve surgery was performed in 19 of 38 patients: valvotomy alone in eight, excision of SVR in five (two ofwhom also had valvotomy) and mitral valve replacemtnt in seven. Additional non-mitral cardiac surgery was performed in 18 patients. Overall surgical mortality was 49%; mortality for surgery on the mitral valve was 26%. Only patients having mitral valve replacement or with isolated SVR which was then resected became asymptomatic and had normal hemodynamics on postoperative catheterization.