title: [Plethysmographic assessment of pulse wave may be helpful in the detection of prosthetic valve dysfunction--a case report].
abstract: A case of a 63-year-old female with prosthetic mitral and aortic valves is described. The long-term post-operative period was complicated by infective endocarditis, persistent atrial fibrillation requiring pacemaker implantation and total a-v node ablation as well as ischaemic stroke which occurred one year before present hospitalisation. This time the patient was admitted to the hospital due to progressive heart failure. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a cyclic intermittent opening of both prosthetic valves full opening was present during every second cardiac cycle. The same phenomenon was documented using plethysmographic recording of a pulse wave from a finger. The patient underwent prosthetic valve replacement. Intraoperatively, a fibrous tissue ingrowth was detected.
authors.affiliation: Instytut Kardiologii, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konopka
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumor
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szajewski
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szufladowicz
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konka
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zakrzewski
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stepińska
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018450:Disease Progression; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010991:Plethysmography; D011475:Prosthesis Failure