Valvular morphologic changes of double versus inoue balloon mitral valvotomy

This study aimed to compare the echocardiographic valvular morphologic changes produced by double balloon [DB] versus Inoue balloon [IB] mitral valvotomy. Pre and immediate post echocardiographic studies from 59 patients with low score mitral stenosis who underwent balloon dilatation were analyzed for mitral valve area [MVA], cusp separation [CS], anterior leaflet excursion [AML], posterior leaflet excursion [PML], splitting of commissures [both = SC-2] and subvalvular splitting [SVS]. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I [n = 39] underwent DE and group II [n = 20] underwent IB dilatation. Despite similar hemodynamic results of both techniques, the underlying morphologic mechanisms were different