Percutaneous laser valvotomy for patients with mitral stenosis

Abstract

Since October 1990, laser valvoplasty have been performed using the energy from a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The laser probes are being used as a device for commissurotomy of the stenotic mitral orifice. Commissures of the human stenotic mitral valve were obtained intraoperatively at the mitral valve replacement. By the ablation with the laser irradiation through the laser prone. successful commissurotomy was obtained. At the same time, good visual field near the commissure by the endoscope could be obtained in this study. And good aiming ability of the endoscope to the commissure could be obtained by developing the special guiding system. Laser mitralplasty may reduce the number of patients requiring the open mitral commissurotomy and this method may increase the number of patients treated without thoracotomy.