Abstract Mitral stenosis (MS) is the main clinical expression of chronic rheumatic heart disease. In symptomatic patients with severe MS and favorable anatomy, percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) is the first-line therapeutic strategy. For the proper selection of candidates, the Wilkins-Block echocardiographic score was developed to characterize mitral valve morphology and predict eligibility for the procedure. This score includes four structural domains: leaflet mobility, valve thickening, degree of calcification, and subvalvular apparatus involvement, grading each parameter from 1 to 4 […]

Introduction Giant left atrium is a rare condition, and most cases described in the literature are associated with rheumatic disease. However, some clinical descriptions suggest a nonrheumatic etiology for this condition, in which characteristic findings of rheumatic disease are not identified or anatomopathological findings do not suggest a specific etiology. Atrial fibrillation is present in almost all cases and contributes to the maintenance of left atrial remodeling and persistent changes in structure and function. […]