Determinants of the Left Atrial Pressure Pulse in Mitral Valve Disease

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Abstract
The difficulties of preoperative evaluation of patients with combinations of mitral stenosis and incompetence prompted analysis of the left atrial pressure pulse in a series of patients studied by left atrial puncture. Theoretic considerations indicate that similar pressure pulses may be produced by a variety of mitral valve lesions if the volume-pressure characteristics of the left atrium are appropriate. An explanation is offered for the differences found in the presence of mitral regurgitation.