Closed Valvuloplasty for Mitral Stenosis

Abstract

SINCE our first report of successful surgery for mitral stenosis in 1948¹ operations for the correction of this lesion have been carried out in sufficiently large numbers and long enough for valid statistical deductions. The benefits conferred by surgery, and factors influencing both improvement and deterioration after initial improvement, can be assessed. We have previously made progress reports on the late results of our initial consecutive series of patients.^{2 , 3} The current report extends this series by an additional 571 patients operated on up to November 1, 1961, and an additional three years of follow-up study.At present surgeons disagree about . . .