Early (three-month) results of percutaneous mitral valvotomy with the Inoue balloon in 1,123 consecutive patients comparing various age groups

Since its initial description in 1984, percutaneous mitral valvotomy (PMV) with the Inoue balloon has become a widespread nonsurgical technique to treat patients with symptomatic mitral valve stenosis. Neumayer et al report on the immediate and short-term results of 1,123 consecutive PMV procedures that were performed with the Inoue balloon between Feb 1989 and Oct 2000 in a single referral center and in a population with a very low prevalence of rheumatic fever.