title: Intermittent Malfunction of a Prosthetic Valve-A Diagnostic Challenge.
abstract: Intermittent malfunction of a mechanical valve prosthesis is a rare condition that carries serious clinical implications. It results from the periodic entrapment of a prosthetic disk in either an open or closed position leading to transient intravalvular regurgitation or obstruction to flow. The intermittent nature of the malfunction poses a diagnostic challenge, particularly in the era of digital echocardiography. In this manuscript, we describe the Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiographic findings in a patient with intermittent prosthetic mitral valve malfunction.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bahaa M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khadija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alassas
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dahdouh
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pergola
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galzerano
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Salvo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D011475:Prosthesis Failure
keywords: pannus; prosthetic valve; valve malfunction