Mechanical prosthetic valve dysfunction causing pulsus alternans leading to intermittent electromechanical dissociation: a case report and literature review.
We describe a case of electromechanical dissociation (EMD) in a 62-year-old female patient following insertion of a Medtronic Hall mitral valve prosthesis. She initially developed pulsus alternans which led, over a few hours, to intermittent electromechanical dissociation. Clinical and echocardiographic findings are described. Emergency surgical intervention revealed a piece of chorda wedged between the disc occluder and the valve ring. This case illustrates clinical and Doppler echocardiographic features associated with a rare presentation of an unusual perioperative complication of prosthetic mitral valve dysfunction. We have also included a brief review of related literature.
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH16 4SA, UK.
Vasha
V
Kaur
Martyn N N
MN
Robertson
Vipin
V
Zamvar
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011674:Pulse; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*