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Clinical Observation
Sep 12, 2011

Severe Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: A 21st Century Medusa

Author Affiliations

Author Affiliations: Department of Cardiology, Santa Maria University Hospital, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal.

Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(16):1498-1499. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.368
Abstract

Although the prevalence of rheumatic fever has greatly decreased in developed countries, rheumatic mitral stenosis still causes significant morbidity and mortality. Symptomatic patients have a poor prognosis, with a 0 to 15% 10-year survival rate, particularly if percutaneous or surgical intervention are contraindicated or considered high risk. We present a case of severe rheumatic mitral stenosis with an evolution over 4 decades, in which exceptional venous distention has established.

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