Before and immediate (invasive examination) and long-term follow-up (4.5 year; echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography) studies after percutaneous transvenous mitral valvuloplasty (PTMV; Inoue technique) were prospectively performed in 123 consecutive patients with pure or dominant mitral stenosis. These patients consisted of two groups: Group A with suitable valve morphology (n = 108, mean age 49.6 years, echocardiographic score 8.2 +/- 1.5), and Group B with less favourable valve morphology (n = 15, mean age 59.3 years, echocardiographic score 11.3 +/- 2.3) rejected for surgery because of high surgical risk. PTMV is a safe and effective nonsurgical method of treatment for symptomatic mitral stenosis and has long-lasting results in patients with pliable mitral valve as well as in patients with less suitable valve morphology. Echocardiography (Doppler approach) is the most efficient noninvasive method for assessment of PTMV effect. Exercise electrocardiography test is a valuable complementary method for objective measurement of patient working capacity and to confirm the success of PTMV.