Mitral Valve Replacement and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Therapy in Severe Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: A Case Report

This case report presents the management of a 43-year-old female with a history of rheumatic heart disease, severe mitral stenosis, and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension. The patient underwent mitral valve replacement and left atrial reduction. Postoperatively, the patient developed severe left ventricular dysfunction necessitating the use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support. Despite initial challenges, the patient showed signicant improvement with IABP therapy, leading to successful recovery. This case highlights the importance of multidisciplinary management in complex cardiac cases and the role of IABP in postoperative valvular cases. IABP therapy is discussed as an effective adjunctive treatment in unloading the left ventricle and promoting myocardial recovery, serving as a valuable adjunct to left ventricular assist device or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy.