THE POSTMITRAL COMMISSUROTOMY SYNDROME: A FOUR-YEAR CLINICAL, PATHOLOGIC AND SEROLOGIC STUDY, AND ITS RELATION TO RESTENOSIS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A phasic recurrent fever occurring at variable times, mainly after mitral valve surgery, associated with incisional and/or pleuritic pain, has been called the postmitral commissurotomy syndrome. The etiology of this peculiar syndrome is unknown, but speculation has ranged from rheumatic reactivation and idiopathic pleuropericarditis to a hypersensitivity reaction from nonspecific antigens such as blood in the pleural or pericardial sacs postoperatively.1, 2 Considerable evidence favors the view that the postmitral commissurotomy syndrome represents reactivation of the rheumatic state.3, 4 The temperature elevation is low grade and cyclic, and is associated with myalgias or true migrating polyarthralgias. It is accompanied by