Lethal blockage of a Bjørk-Shiley artificial heart valve caused by strut fracture--the metallurgical aspect.
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.
Röckelein
G
G
Pathological Institute, Erlangen-Nürnberg University, FRG.
Breme
J
J
von der Emde
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000497:Alloys; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure
D000497:Alloys