[Emergency percutaneous valvulotomy with the Inoue balloon in high grade mitral valve stenosis in pregnancy]

A 26-year-old pregnant woman (18th week of pregnancy) was admitted to a hospital with right heart failure and pulmonary congestion. After establishing the diagnosis of mitral stenosis, a first stabilization could be achieved by medical therapy with digitalis, diuretics, and beta-blockers. Readmission was necessary in the 23rd week. After failure of medical treatment the patient was transferred to our center. We decided to perform an emergency mitral valvulotomy with the Inoue balloon. Taking care of maximal radiation protection for mother and fetus doubling of the mitral valve opening are (from 0.6 cm2 to 1.3 cm2) could be achieved. The pleural effusions and tricuspid regurgitation disappeared. The patient was symptom-free and could be delivered from a male infant on schedule.