Surgical interventions in patients undergoing percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy : a retrospective analysis of anaesthetic considerations.

Abstract

Between 1990 and 2000, 5499 balloon mitral valvotomies were performed at GB Pant Hospital. Amongst these, 45 patients required surgical intervention, which form the basis of this report. There were 18 males and 27 females with the mean age of 26.5+/-8.3 years and weight of 42.9+/-7.39 kg. Thirty-five patients underwent open-heart surgery and 10 closed-heart surgery. Twenty-five patients developed acute severe mitral regurgitation during balloon mitral valvotomy and required emergency open-heart surgery. Morphine based anaesthetic technique with careful attention to haemodynamic monitoring was used in these patients. All patients required a high inotropic support to terminate the cardiopulmonary bypass. The closed-heart surgical procedures included emergency exploration for cardiac tamponade (4), exploration + closed mitral valvotomy (4), and elective closed mitral valvotomy (2). The overall mortality was 9%, which is much higher than the reported mortality for elective mitral valve replacement. Morphine based anaesthetic technique is useful in these patients. Adequate oxygenation, vasodilators, inotropes and diuretics are required for preoperative stabilisation of patients who develop acute mitral regurgitation, while those who develop cardiac tamponade need volume replacement along with inotropes and immediate surgical decompression of the tamponade.