Clinical and hemodynamic comparison of VVI versus DDD pacing in patients with DDD pacemakers.

To identify better those subgroups of pacemaker recipients who will benefit from dual chamber pacing, 19 patients with DDD pacemakers that were physiologically paced were entered into a blinded, randomized protocol comparing long-term VVI versus DDD pacing. Patients were evaluated in each of the pacing modes for exercise performance, cardiac chamber size, cardiac output, functional status and health perception. Eight patients (42%) insisted on early crossover, from VVI to DDD pacing, after only 1.

Mitral balloon valvuloplasty for mitral restenosis after surgical commissurotomy.

Mitral balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 14 patients with recurrent mitral stenosis 16.9 +/- 1.8 years (range 6 to 30) after surgical commissurotomy.

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy during pregnancy in a patient with severe mitral stenosis.

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMV) was performed successfully in a 41-year-old pregnant patient with severe mitral stenosis. The patient had a 21-week gestation and was severely limited by symptoms resulting from critical mitral stenosis. PMV resulted in a decrease in the diastolic mitral gradient from 26 to 2 mm Hg and an increase in both cardiac output (from 4.