Mitral Balloon

First, we put the patient to sleep in the cath lab. We watch the images on a screen in front of us, which are created by X-rays passing through the patient's heart. In addition, we can also monitor ECHO (TEE) we also take images. By looking at the images provided by these two methods, we can understand where and what we are doing. In the procedure, after numbing the groin area so that the patient does not feel pain, we enter the groin vein with a needle and send a wire up to the heart. We then slide a long catheter over this wire. First, we reach the right atrium. From here, we pierce the intermediate chamber with the needle at the end of the catheter left atrium through the wire. We move the balloon over a wire and then remove the wire. The balloon is now just above the mitral valve. Then, by guiding the catheter carrying the balloon, we cross the stenosis in the mitral valve with the not yet inflated balloon. After alignment, we quickly inflate the balloon. Then, we immediately deflate it and take measurements. When we determine that the valve opening is wide enough, we remove the balloon and catheter and finish the procedure.