Annals of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery : official journal of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia
-
Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Jan 2014
Case ReportsStructural valve deterioration of porcine bioprosthesis soon after mitral valve repair and replacement.
An 81-year-old woman, who had undergone mitral valve replacement (MVR) with a porcine bioprosthesis after mitral valve repair, presented with hemolysis 4 years and 6 months after MVR. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed trivial mitral regurgitation, which was diagnosed based on the observed perivalvular leakage. Hemolysis gradually increased, and she developed dyspnea and edema 2 years after the appearance of mitral regurgitation. ⋯ The postoperative course was uneventful. Microscopic examination verified collagen degeneration, histiocyte infiltration, and hyalinization. It is important to perform TEE to rule out structural valve deterioration (SVD) even when regurgitation occurs soon after valve replacement.