Experience with balloon valvuloplasty in pulmonary stenosis.

ABSTRACT

Fourteen patients of pure valvular pulmonary stenosis of moderate to severe degree underwent balloon valvuloplasty in the Department of Cardiology, SSKM Hospital, Calcutta. Haemodynamic study revealed that immediately after valvuloplasty, right ventricular pressure dropped down from 125 +/- 17.18 mmHg. to 56.67 +/- 8.72 mmHg. (mean +/- SD). Restudy was done in each case after 4 weeks, which showed that right ventricular systolic pressure had further dropped down to 46.71 +/- 5.06 mmHg. (Mean +/- SD). Patients were further followed up for 6 to 15 months (mean 10 months). During the follow-up period, all the patients remained asymptomatic. Drop of right ventricular systolic pressure was maintained except in one case in which the peak systolic pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve was raised to 61 mmHg. from 24 mmHg., the gradient achieved immediately after valvuloplasty.