Percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy (PBMV) is a good and preferred therapy choice over surgical commissurotomy for patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). However, interventional cardiologists must recognize that treating patients with rheumatic MS poses unique challenges for each patient, especially in special populations such as pregnant patients or patients with arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (AF), which can complicate procedures. Based on information from observational studies, PBMV may be a safe and efficient treatment for improving outcomes in MS women who do not have substantial subvalve illness in a specific demographic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostmyocardial infarction ventricular septal rupture (PI-VSR) is a rare but lethal complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The diagnosis and management of AMI remain challenging. When VSR is suspected, transthoracic and/or transesophageal echocardiography at patient's bedside is a test of choice for early diagnosis and therapeutical guidance.
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