title: Severe mitral regurgitation after radiotherapy.
abstract: We present the case of a 69-year-old patient with a history of gynecological neoplasia and a pulmonary metastasis, who in 1996 underwent chemotherapy and mediastinal radiotherapy followed by cancer remission. Ten years later she presented with heart failure and her Doppler echocardiogram showed severe mitral regurgitation with pulmonary hypertension. In 2011, she underwent a mitral valve replacement with a biological prosthesis and the pathology exam revealed valve damage consistent with radiotherapy-induced changes. This unusual mechanism of mitral regurgitation can be demonstrated clearly by echocardiography and should be disseminated among cardiology physicians and in patients who have survived for long periods after radiotherapy, it is important to remember that cardiac complications may indeed occur, and the treating physician is responsible for detecting them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires "Dr. Cosme Argerich", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cozzarín
authors.forename: Tomás F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Cianciulli
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Saccheri
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lax
authors.forename: Mario E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Simonetti
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zappi
authors.forename: Rubén P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Laguens
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D058958:Organs at Risk / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: echocardiography; radiotherapy; severe mitral regurgitation