(valvoplasty) n. therapeutic dilatation of a narrowed heart valve. This used to be done by open heart surgery, but is now performed using balloon catheters threaded into the heart via the venous or arterial system (balloon valvuloplasty). It is most commonly used for treatment of *mitral stenosis (using an Inoue balloon) or pulmonary stenosis, and sometimes used as a temporary measure for severe aortic stenosis.... valvuloplasty
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