Early diagnosis of stuck Starr-Edwards disc valve in mitral position: inconstant and interrupted mitral regurgitation.
The patient was a 40-year-old man with Starr-Edwards disc valve for 21 years without symptoms. Newly developed systolic murmur at the apex was noticed at the monthly medical examination. Doppler color flow mapping indicated severe mitral regurgitation. However, the appearance of mitral regurgitation was not constant. Continuous wave Doppler recording indicated that some of the mitral regurgitations were abruptly terminated at early or mid systole with the disc closing signal. Mitral regurgitation was observed only at bradycardia and on the left lateral position. Cardiac surgery demonstrated no abnormality on the disc valve except small sulci on the rim of the disc. When the disc was tilted in the cage, it was stuck and did not move. Echocardiography was useful in detecting the early stage of stuck artificial valve that might be fatal in the mitral position.
Fujiwara
H
H
National Cardiovascular Center, Research Institute, Osaka, Japan.
Beppu
S
S
Ishikura
F
F
Miyatake
K
K
D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006339:Heart Rate; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology