Valvotomy in young patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Twenty-nine patients younger than 18 years of age with mitral stenosis were operated upon in the Osaka University Hospital. Five patients who underwent operation in the early period of this study died postoperatively. Follow-up study was made in 20 of the surviving patients for a period of 6 to 20 years. Three died during the follow-up period. Twelve of the survivors were in NYHA Functional Class I, 4 were in Class II, and 1 was in Class III. Reactivation of rheumatic disease did not occur after mitral valvotomy.