The value of the atrial electrokymogram in the diagnosis of mitral regurgitation; observations on patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis before and after mitral valvuloplasty

The difficulty of correct clinical assessment of the functional state of the diseased mitral valve has prompted this re-evaluation of the atrial electrokymogram in 15 patients with rheumatic mitral disease. By means of a technic stressing careful placing of the pick-up device and recording from multiple locations along the left atrial border, a pattern characteristic of mitral regurgitation could be demonstrated. In general, the electrokymographic predictions correlated well with the operative findings.