title: Prosthetic mitral valve leaflet escape.
abstract: Leaflet escape of prosthetic valve is rare but potentially life threatening. It is essential to make timely diagnosis in order to avoid mortality. Transesophageal echocardiography and cinefluoroscopy is usually diagnostic and the location of the missing leaflet can be identified by computed tomography (CT). Emergent surgical correction is mandatory. We report a case of fractured escape of Edward-Duromedics mitral valve 27 years after the surgery. The patient presented with symptoms of acute decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock. She was instantly intubated and mechanically ventilated. After prompt evaluation including transthoracic echocardiography and CT, the escape of the leaflet was confirmed. The patient underwent emergent surgery for replacement of the damaged prosthetic valves immediately. Eleven days after the surgery, the dislodged leaflet in iliac artery was removed safely and the patient recovered well.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Darae
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sin Sang
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hun
authors.forename: In-Jeong
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Chi-Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Jong-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Namsik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hyun Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Jang Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Geu-Ru
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hong
keywords: Cardiac valve prosthesis; Cardiogenic shock; Prosthesis failure