al Kasab S, al Fagih M R, Shahid M, Habbab M, al Zaibag M
Riyadh Cardiac Centre, Riyadh Military Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Chest. 1988 Oct;94(4):830-3. doi: 10.1378/chest.94.4.830.
Six patients with acute rheumatic carditis and intractable left ventricular failure, all in class 4 NYHA classification, underwent successful valve surgery combined with medical therapy. Two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler studies showed all of them to have left ventricular dilatation, with good systolic function, together with severe mitral regurgitation; two patients also had severe aortic regurgitation. Over a mean follow-up period of two years, no mortality was recorded, and all six patients were in NYHA class 1-2. We conclude that valve replacement is not contraindicated in acute rheumatic carditis and may be preferable to repair.
