The role of positive auricular biopsy in mitral stenosis.

Microscopic examination of left auricular biopsy has been a routine procedure since the advent of mitral valve surgery. A "positive" auricular biopsy with the presence of so-called Aschoff lesions presumably indicating rheumatic activity, is frequently encountered under such circumstances even in the absence of clinical or routine laboratory criteria suggestive of active rheumatic carditis.'. An attempt is made in this series to objectively evaluate the results of surgery in patients with predominant mitral stenosis and "positive" auricular biopsy.