Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiographic diagnosis of Björk-Shiley prosthetic valve malfunction: importance of interventricular septal motion and the timing of onset of valve flow.

In a 69 year old woman with a "sticking" Björk-Shiley mitral prosthesis, the diagnosis was suggested by both the two-dimensional and the Doppler ultrasound examinations. In particular, the findings of early diastolic paradoxic septal motion, intermittent delayed opening of the prosthetic disc and variable timing of the onset of mitral valve inflow were believed to be diagnostic of a sticking tilting disc prosthesis.