title: Lethal blockage of a Bjørk-Shiley artificial heart valve caused by strut fracture--the metallurgical aspect.
abstract: The fracture of the outlet strut of a Bjørk-Shiley artificial heart valve implanted in a 21 year old man lead--6 years after the operation--to the valve disc jamming closed with a resulting lethal heart failure and circulation standstill. The probable cause of the valve strut fracture could be determined by metallurgical/metallographical investigation of the material and the production methods.
authors.affiliation: Pathological Institute, Erlangen-Nürnberg University, FRG.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Röckelein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breme
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: von der Emde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000497:Alloys; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys