Editorial Comment: Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty: the debate is there

Rheumatic mitral stenosis continues to be quite prevalent in many developing countries. Obviously driven by a low incidence of rheumatic fever, the prevalence is remarkably lower in Western communities. An estimation quoted from the Euro Heart Survey demonstrated that mitral stenosis accounts for 12% of the single native valve disease (1). Such a figure has likely been influenced by migration from developing countries.