title: Aortic root triangulation as a cause of sudden death.
abstract: We have reviewed an autopsy series of thirty-six patients who died suddenly after receiving a Starr--Edwards aortic valve prosthesis. In fifteen of the thirty-six explanted valves, the aortic outlet was narrowed with the three-legged prosthetic cage causing a triangular distortion of the wall. In the remaining twenty-one patients, the cause of sudden death was not related to failure of the mechanical valve. Although aortic root triangulation would appear to be an uncommon complication with the Starr--Edwards prosthesis, these findings emphasise the need to carefully size the aortic root diameter at the time of surgery, whilst the known problems of morbidity and mortality with mechanical heart valves should continue to stimulate those developing conservative valve reconstruction.
authors: Department of Surgery, Leeds General Infirmary, UK.
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Sagar
authors: G W
authors: GW
authors: Dyke
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Gerlis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure