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UMHS Related Sites:
Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention Services
University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center

Valvuloplasty

Valvuloplasty is a cardiac catheterization procedure to treat stenosis in heart valves. It is similar to a balloon angioplasty, except instead of opening an artery, a valvuloplasty stretches open a narrowed heart valve. During the procedure, a deflated balloon catheter is inserted through a blood vessel to the opening of the narrowed heart valve. The balloon is inflated to stretch the valve open. Balloon valvulopasty is used to treat blockage of the mitral valve or of the aortic valve.


Mitral balloon valvuloplasty with Inoue Balloon™ by Toray Company.
Mitral balloon valvuloplasty with Inoue Balloon™. Mitral valve area increase from 0.7cm2 to 2.3 cm2