The Effects of Percutaneous Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty on the Left Atrial Appendage Function in Patients With Sinus Rhythm and Atrial Fibrillation

INTRODUCTION Mitral stenosis (MS) causes structural and functional abnormalities of the left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA), and studies show that LAA performance improves within a short time after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). This study aimed to investigate the effects of PTMC on left atrial function by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS We enrolled 56 patients with severe mitral stenosis (valve area less than 1.5 CM(2)). All participants underwent mitral valvuloplasty; they also underwent transesophageal echocardiography before and at least one month after PTMC. RESULTS Underlying heart rhythm was sinus rhythm (SR) in 28 patients and atrial fibrillation (AF) in remainder 28 cases. There was no significant change in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), or the left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESD) before and after PTMC in both groups. However, both groups showed a significant decrease in the left atrial volume index (LAVI) following PTMC (P=0.032 in SR and P=0.015 in AF group). LAA ejection fraction (LAAEF) and the LAA emptying velocity (LAAEV) were improved significantly after PTMC in both groups with SR and AF (P<0.001 for both). CONCLUSION Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy improves left atrial appendage function in patients with mitral stenosis irrespective of the underlying heart rhythm.