An unusual form of late stenosis after aortic valve replacement with a cloth-covered Starr-Edwards prosthesis.
A 24-year-old man presented with late stenosis of a cloth-covered Starr-Edwards valve (model 2320). Fibrous ingrowth occurred at the inflow orifice of the valve and all three struts were adherent to the aortic wall, creating a "tunnel" form of obstruction. The stenotic valve was replaced with a porcine heterograft, and the small aortic root was enlarged with a Dacron patch. This form of late prosthetic valve stenosis should have been prevented by enlargement of the aortic root at the time of valve insertion and by long-term anticoagulant therapy.
D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous