Background: Inoue balloon technique for mitral commissurotomyis well established and carried out worldwide in the treatment of mitral stenosis. Percutaneous Transmitral Commissurotomy (PTMC) is reported to be a cheaper and effective treatment for mitral stenosis. Although echocardiography has been used to evaluate Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) and Pulmonary Arterial Capacitance (PAC) in congenital heart disease, it is not routinely performed in patients with mitral stenosis. This study aims to assess the influence of PTMC on Pulmonary Arterial Capacitance in patient with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Methods/Design: A prospective, case study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in India. Participants were selected based on the inclusion criteria. All the patient underwent PTMC and the effect of PTMC procedure on pulmonary arterial capacitance (PAC) was assessed.

Results: PAC was less in patients with mitral stenosis compared with the general population. There was statistically significant difference between PAC measured by echocardiography and by catheterization. No significant increase in PAC was recorded by catheterization immediately following PTMC.

Conclusion: The study could not establish any significant relationship between PAC and patients’ baseline characteristics including age, functional status, mitral valve area, mitral valve gradient and pulmonary artery pressure.