[Causes of recurrences of mitral stenosis]

The authors present an analysis of the late results of closed mitral commissurotomy in 364 patients (maximum terms of observation--17 years). Main causes of recurrent mitral stenosis were recognized: activation of a rheumatic process (50%), nonspecific scarring processes (27%), inadequate commissurotomies (11.1%) and others (11.1%). The routine antirheumatic therapy (bicillin+salicylates) was found to be ineffective in prophylaxis against mitral restenoses. Recurrent mitral stenosis proved to occur more frequently in patients operated upon in young age (under 30).