title: Unique Doppler pattern of "obstruction alternans" of a St Jude prosthetic mitral valve.
abstract: We present a case of a patient who was pregnant and had symptomatic, intermittent obstruction of her St Jude mitral prosthesis showing a very unique Doppler flow pattern suggesting impaired disk movement with every other cardiac cycle. Mechanism of this "obstruction alternans" is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Padmini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varadarajan
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Jutzy
authors.forename: Ramdas G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure