The widespread use of percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty on the basis of gained experience, technical advances, and a thorough understanding of its pathophysiologic consequences, has generated great clinical enthusiasm and stimulated research efforts. Recent reports provide new insights into a number of topics, including technical issues, the current value of noninvasive techniques, and the results obtained with mitral valvuloplasty in particular clinical and anatomic settings. This review examines the information provided by recent studies.