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Fracture Embolization of an Edwards-Duromedics Valve with Asymmetrical Closure

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tenri-yorozu Hospital, Tenri
² Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate of School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto
³ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Takamatsu Red Cross Hospital, Kagawa, Japan

For reprint information contact: Kazuhiro Yamazaki, MD, Tel: 81 75 751 3784, Fax: 81 75 751 4960, Email: yamakazu{at}kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate of School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoinkawahara-machi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.

We report a case of sudden leaflet fracture of an Edwards-Duromedics mitral valve 17-years after its implantation. The patient had a history of an asymmetrical motion of the valve, five months earlier. A computed tomography scan showed two fragments that had embolized to the right brachiocephalic artery and left common iliac artery. An emergency mitral replacement surgery was successfully performed. Asymmetrical closure of the valve leaflet may have contributed to valve fracture.