Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.
2002 Jan;35(1):60-63.
Valve Leaflet Escape of Edwards Duromedics Mechanical Valve
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery, Yonsei Cardiovascular center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kjy@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Abstract
- Edwards Duromedics mechanical valve was introduced into clinical use in 1982 and is still being used today after several modifications. Valve-related complications after mechanical valve replacement are thrombo-embolism, endocarditis, valve malfunction, valve leaflet escape and fracture. Incidence of valve leaflet escape is very low. A 40 year-old male patient who had undergone mitral replacement with a 31mm Edwards Duromedics mechanical valve(model 9120R) and tricuspid annuloplasy in November 1996 was admitted to ER because of acute dyspnea, which started one hour before admission. With echocardiography and fluoroscopy, mechanical valve malfunction was suspected. In emergency operation, one of the mechanical valve leaflets was found to have escaped. The previous mechanical valve was removed and a 31mm St. Jude mitral mechanical valve inserted. In postoperative evaluation, abdominal CT and fluoroscopy revealed an escaped valve leaflet in the bifurcation of abdominal aorta. During the follow-up, a schedule was set to have the escaped valve leaflet removed, then he was discharged.
