OBJECTIVE To study the short-term results, complications and in-hospital follow-up of 223 percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) procedures (proc)in 219 patients. METHODS It was used a single 20mm balloon diameter in 4 proc, double balloon in 7, Inoue balloon in 4 and low profile balloon in 196. The mean-age group was 37.19 years. One hundred eighty three (82.1%) procedures were performed in women (mean age, 36.99 years) and 40 (17.9%) in men (mean age, 38.10 years) (p = 0.63). Patients were in functional class II, (NYHA) in 25 (11.2%) procedures, class III in 165 (74.0%) and class IV in 33 (14.8%). Patients were in sinus rhythm in 182 procedures (81.6%) and in atrial fibrillation in 41 (18.4%). The echocardiographic score range from 4 to 14 (7.4% +/- 1.7). Among 4 and 11 were 98.2% of patients. RESULTS We had 203 complete proc and success, mitral valve area (MVA) > or = 1.5cm2 after PMBV in 194 proc. Echocardiographic MVA before PMBV was 0.9 +/- 0.2cm2 and after 1.8 +/- 0.3cm2 (p < 0.01). Hemodynamic measures MVA before PMBV was 0.9 +/- 0.2cm2 and after was 1.9 +/- 0.3cm2 (p < 0.01). Mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 39 +/- 14mmHg to 27 +/- 11mmHg (p < 0.01) and mitral mean gradient from 20 +/- 9mmHg to 6 +/- 5mmHg (p < 0.01). In the 203 proc, mitral valve (MV) was competent in 176 and there were 1+ mitral regurgitation (MR) in 27. After PMBV, MV was competent in 126, and there were 1+ MR in 60, 2+ in 10.3+ in 6 and 4+ MR in 1. There was complication in 15 proc, severe MR in 7 (3 or 4+), stroke in 3 and cardiac tamponade in 5. Two patients died during emergency cardiac surgery after left ventricular perforation and one by stroke. CONCLUSIONS PMBV was an effective procedure with a high grade of success and low rate of complication.