Massive cardiac deposits of AL-amyloid in a patient with previous valve replacement.
A 78-year old male with AL-type cardiac amyloidosis is presented. Amyloidosis had not been diagnosed during life, as the patient's complaints had been incorrectly ascribed to failure of a Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial bioprosthesis inserted seven years previously. Technical considerations relevant to the correct interpretation of echocardiograms in this setting are reviewed. The unique observation of incidental involvement the bioprosthesis by deposits of the Al-amyloid is described.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Canada.
V M
VM
Walley
K J
KJ
Ascah
D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011475:Prosthesis Failure