Cardiac catheterization under echocardiographic control in a pregnant woman.
A 22 year old woman had signs of rheumatic mitral and aortic valve disease early in pregnancy. Cardiac catheterization was performed during her third month of pregnancy under two-dimensional echocardiographic control without the use of ionizing radiation. Severe mitral stenosis with mild aortic stenosis was found. Five cubic centimeters of 5 percent dextrose in water were injected by hand to obtain left ventriculograms and supravalvular aortograms of sufficient quality to diagnose valvular regurgitation. The use of "echo-catheterization" may have significant advantages in selected clinical situations.
D000328:Adult; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*