Additional value of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography for patients with mitral valve stenosis undergoing balloon valvuloplasty.

The objective of this study was to validate the additional value of 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for patients with mitral valve stenosis undergoing percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PTMV). Therefore, in a series of 21 patients with severe mitral valve stenosis selected for PTMV, 3D TEE was performed before and after PTMV. The mitral valve area was assessed by planimetry pre- and post-PTMV; the mitral valve volume was assessed and attention was paid to the amount of fusion of the commissures. These results were compared with findings by 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography using pressure half-time method for assessment of mitral valve area, and were analyzed for the prediction of successful outcome. Pre-PTMV the mitral valve area assessed by 3D TEE was 1.0 ± 0.3 cm2 vs 1.2 ± 0.4 cm2 assessed by 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (P = .03) and post-PTMV it was 1.8 ± 0.5 cm2 vs 1.9 ± 0.6 cm2 (not significant), respectively. The mitral valve volume could be assessed by 3D TEE (mean 2.4 ± 2.5 cm3) and was inversely correlated to a successful PTMV procedure (P < .001). The 3D TEE method enabled a better description of the mitral valvular anatomy, especially post-PTMV. We conclude that 3D TEE will have additional value over 2-dimensional echocardiography in this group of patients, for selection of patients pre-PTMV, and for analyzing pathology of the mitral valve afterward.