Patient-prosthetic aortic valve mismatch (PPM) is a clinical diagnosis in which an aortic prosthetic valve is normal structurally, but hemodynamically functions as aortic stenosis, with higher prosthetic valve gradients than would be expected for that particular valve.1,2 The prosthetic valve functions as designed but hemodynamics are less than ideal compared with a native valve. The predominan...

OBJECTIVE The non-O alleles of the ABO genotype have been associated with an increased risk of thrombosis. We aimed to assess the association between blood group status and prosthetic valve thrombosis. METHODS The association between AB0 blood group status and prosthetic valve thrombosis was assessed in this retrospective study. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 149 patients w...

INTRODUCTION Patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses must continuously be treated with oral anticoagulants to prevent thromboembolic events related to prosthetesis. These patients should be continually evaluated for the control of oral anticoagulation. OBJECTIVE To compare the occurrence of thromboembolic and hemorragic complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis ...

OBJECTIVE Compared with reoperative aortic valve replacement for nonendocarditic causes, the contemporary risk and long-term outcomes of reoperation for aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis are ill-defined. METHODS Between December 1994 and April 2008, 313 patients underwent reoperative aortic valve replacement, of whom 152 (48.6%) had prosthetic valve endocarditis. Mean follow-up was 6.5 ± 0...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES There have been no studies conducted in the past that focus on the significance of congestive heart failure in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis. We studied the incidence of congestive heart failure in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis and analyzed its profile. In this study, we addressed the prognostic significance of heart failure in patients wi...

This is the first report of an unusual fatal complication associated with the Starr-Edwards prosthetic aortic valve holder. The patient died 51 days after replacement of his aortic valve with a Starr-Edwards prosthetic aortic valve. The cause of death was coronary arterial embolus caused by a fragment broken off of the prosthetic aortic valve holder.

Although renal failure is one of the known comorbidities associated with rapid progression of aortic stenosis, it is unclear whether hemodialysis alters the progression of prosthetic aortic valve stenosis. We describe a 79-year-old female who underwent bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement 8 years ago with stable prosthetic valve area for the initial 6 years. In the last two years, coinciding ...

multiple aorto-cardiac cavity communications is very rare but important complication of prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis. the case below illustrates multiple aorto-cardiac cavity fistula formation following prostethic aortic valve endocarditis presented with slowly progressive symptoms of heart failure. a brief review of surgical reconstruction and the existing literature are presented, inc...

giant left atria are defined as those measuring larger than 8 cm and are typically found in patients who have rheumatic mitral valve disease with severe regurgitation. enlargement of the left atrium may create compression of the surrounding structures such as the esophagus, pulmonary veins, respiratory tract, lung, inferior vena cava, recurrent laryngeal nerve, and thoracic vertebrae and lead t...

ccurate diagnosis of prosthetic heart valve infection has major implications on patient management and outcome. If the presence of prosthetic or periprosthetic valve endocarditis is misclassified, it can lead to delayed antibiotic or surgical intervention, which may adversely affect patient outcomes, and that is not inconsequential. Prosthetic valve endocarditis constitutes up to 30% of all cas...