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Jun 18, 2018Article Details
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Main Article Content
Mitral valvotomy in the younger age-groups
Abstract
Mitral stenosis represents an end stage of rheumatic carditis. it takes 5-15 years to develop after the onset of the initial attack, and usually occurs during the 2nd or 3rd 5-year period after the initial attack. Thus the occurrence of tight mitral stenosis of a type suitable for operation is unusual under the age of 16 years. The usual lesion in the 1st decade and early part of the 2nd decade is mitral incompetence.
There are very few reports of mitral valvotomy operations on patients under the age of 16 years. Most of the large series include patients from the age of 18 years and over. Logan and Turner have one case aged 16 years in their 100 cases. Lurie and Shumacker described 3 cases aged 12, 14 and 15 years in which progressive symptoms and disability led to mitral valvotomy.
It is therefore worth recording 4 further cases between the ages of 7 and 14, where predominant mitral stenosis was diagnosed and valvotomy performed. Three of these cases were aged 14 years and one was aged 7 years.
