Hemodynamic findings at thoracotomy for mitral valve disease

• Published in: The American heart journal Vol. 55; no. 3; pp. 328 - 342
• Main Authors: Zoob, Max, Rockney, Robert E., Cleland, W.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mosby, Inc 01.01.1958
• ISSN: 0002-8703; 1097-6744
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-8703(58)90047-4

Thoracotomy affords a unique opportunity for correlating physiologic and pathologic findings in mitral valve disease. The immediate pressure changes produced by valvotomy have been presented in several previous studies. 1–4 In this paper additional findings in 50 patients with mitral valve disease are presented. Pressure pulses obtained directly from the pulmonary artery and left side of the heart are correlated with the findings of the surgeon (W.P.C.) regarding the valve size and presence or absence of incompetence. The pressure changes produced by valvotomy are correlated with the surgeon's opinion of the increase in valve diameter, and the effect of valvotomy in “pure” mitral stenosis is contrasted with that in mitral stenosis with incompetence. Finally, the relationship between left atrial and pulmonary artery pressure is studied, and the mechanism of the immediate fall of pulmonary artery pressure which sometimes follows valvotomy is discussed.