History of PTMC at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Karachi.

Rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) incidence and severity rates have decreased in the developed world, but the condition is still very common in many nations. Since its invention, percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty has transformed the therapy of mitral stenosis, shown promising short- and long-term outcomes, and taken the role of surgical mitral commissurotomy as the preferred method of managing rheumatic mitral stenosis in suitable patients. The morphologic characteristics of the valve leaflets and sub valvular structures can be used to predict the possibility of hemodynamic benefit and the danger of complications with balloon valvuloplasty. The results will be less than ideal if the valves are hard, thickened, and extensively calcified. We presented the retrospective data of approximately 500 patients from March 2001 to June 2006 in this paper.