Systemic Arterial Embolism After Mitral Valvulotomy

Abstract

During an average period of follow-up of 6 years, 255 patients subjected to closed mitral valvulotomy had an incidence of late arterial emboli of 1.0% per patient-year. In an unoperated series of 271 patients with mitral stenosis the incidence was 3.7% per patient-year. The significant protective value of mitral valvulotomy against late systemic embolism was particularly evident in patients with pre-operative atrial fibrillation. In subjects with pre-operative arterial emboli the rate of late embolism was 3.0% per patient-year, and it is suggested that long-term anticoagulant therapy is considered in this group of patients.