title: Left ventricular rupture following mitral valve replacement with a Hancock bioprosthesis.
abstract: A rare complication of mitral valve replacement with the Hancock bioprosthesis was observed in three patients presenting with prevalent mitral stenosis and normally-sized left ventricular cavity. In the patients, a deep erosion of the left ventricular free wall was present which evolved into cardiac rupture in one of them. The laceration is ascribed to the friction between a prosthetic strut and the myocardium; a disproportion between the "high-profile" device and the left ventricular chamber is suggested to explain this complication, which may be avoided by employing a "low-profile" prosthesis.
mesh_terms: D001705:Bioprosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*