Strut fracture of a convex-concave 60 degree Björk-Shiley mitral valve prosthesis 5 years after implantation--metallurgic analysis of the prosthesis strut
Lemke, B.; Rathmann, J.; Wiebe, V.; Witzel, U.
Zeitschrift für Kardiologie 80(8): 537-540
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5860 PMID: 1950077 Document Number: 379500
Acute mechanical failure of prosthetic heart valves is rare, but associated with high mortality when occurring. For convexo-concave Björk-Shiley prostheses only fractures of the outlet strut are reported. We present a case of lethal mechanical complication 5 years after implantation. By additional metallurgic analysis we were able to identify a sequential course of the outlet strut fracture. This could lead to new approaches for early detection of this complication.