NEARLY fifty years ago the possibility of relieving the obstruction to blood flow through a narrowed mitral valve was first suggested. Subsequent attempts have been made to accomplish this.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 The surgical technics employed in these bold but disappointing adventures have been variously described as valvulotomy and valvulectomy. Much of the discussion of the theoretical value of this procedure has been concerned with the problem whether the patient would tolerate a surgically induced mitral insufficiency better than his existing stenosis. This, however, is an oversimplification of the situation. Many factors produce the symptoms and determine the course of the disease in . . .
Harken et al. (1948) studied this question.