A Case of Intermittent Dysfunction of a Mechanical Valve in Aortic Position

Yutaka MANIWA; Hirofumi ONITSUKA; Kazuhiro KURISU; Yasutaka UENO; Akira SHIOSE

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A Case of Intermittent Dysfunction of a Mechanical Valve in Aortic Position

VernacularTitle:間欠的機能不全を呈した大動脈弁位人工弁の1例
Author: Yutaka MANIWA ¹ ; Hirofumi ONITSUKA ¹ ; Kazuhiro KURISU ¹ ; Yasutaka UENO ¹ ; Akira SHIOSE ²
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1. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shimonoseki City Hospital
2. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medicine
Keywords: aortic regurgitation; aortic valve replacement; prosthetic valve dysfunction; mechanical valve
From:Japanese Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;54(5):220-222
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: A 53-year-old male with ankylosing spondylitis presented with worsening exertional dyspnea. Echocardiography revealed severe aortic regurgitation and an aortic valve replacement was performed using a mechanical valve (SJM Regent 21 mm) in consideration of his age. By the 5th postoperative week, the patient exhibited signs of worsening heart failure. On the 52nd postoperative day, intermittent prosthetic valve regurgitation was detected on echocardiography. Valve fluoroscopy revealed that the valve intermittently remained fixed in the open position, leading to a diagnosis of prosthetic valve dysfunction. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed no evidence of thrombus or tissue formation around the prosthetic valve. On the 56th postoperative day, a redo aortic valve replacement was performed with another mechanical valve (On-X 21 mm). Intraoperatively, no obvious structural abnormalities were identified. Compression of the pivot may have contributed to the dysfunction. We report a rare complication associated with a mechanical prosthetic valve.