RESUMO
OBJECTIVE - To analyze immediate and late results of percutaneous mitral valvotomy (PMV) in patients 18 year. METHODS - Between August '87 and July '97, 48 procedures were performed on 40 patients. The mean age was 15.6 years; 68.7 percent were females four of whom were pregnant. RESULTS - Success was obtained in 91.7 percent of the procedures. Immediate complications were severe mitral regurgitation (6.3 percent) and cardiac tamponade (2.0 percent). Late follow-up was obtained in 88.8 percent of the patients (mean value=43.2_33.9 months). NYHA functional class (FC) I or II was observed in 96.2 percent of the patients and restenosis developed in five patients, at a mean follow-up of 29.7_11.9 months. Three patients presented with severe mitral insufficiency and underwent surgery. Two patients died. CONCLUSION - PMV represents a valid therapeutic option in young patients. In these patients, maybe because of subclinical rheumatic activity, restenosis may have a higher incidence and occur at an earlier stage than in others persons