A case of malfunctioning Beall prosthetic mitral valve causing severe heart failure is presented. The unusual aspect of this malfunction was the finding of disc dislodgment despite the absence of pathology in the disc itself. The dislodg ment was caused by excessive tissue ingrowth around the suture ring. The need for close clinical follow-up of this type of prosthetic valve is emphasized.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Beall AC Jr, Bloodwell RD, Liotta D., et al: Elimination of sewing ring metal seat interface in mitral valve prostheses. Cir37: (Supp II) 184, 1968.
2.
Gutierrez FR , McKnight RC, Clark RE, et al: Chest film diagnosis of disc embolization in patients with Beall mitral valve prosthesis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg81:758-761, 1981.
3.
Chang KS, Fernandez J., Cha SD, Yang SS: Ten year pathological study of Beall mitral valve prosthesis. Thorax37:137-141, 1982.
4.
Clark RE, Povlouic TA, Knight BE, et al: Quantification of wear, hemolysis and coagulation deficits in patients with Beall mitral valves. Circ56:(Supp II) 139-143, 1976.
5.
Silver MD, Wilson GJ: The pathology of wear in the Beall model 104 heart valve prosthesis . Circ56:617-622, 1977.
6.
Chen CC, Morganroth J., Pauletto FJ: Embolized disc from a Beall mitral valve prosthesis. Chest81:108-110, 1982.
7.
Arvan SB and Kunstadt D.: Disc embolism to left atrium. Chest73:4, 1978.
8.
Carlson EB, Mintz GS, Bemis CE: Hemodynamic significance in normal and abnormal fluoroscopic pattern of disc motion in Beall mitral valve prosthesis. Radiology141:335-339, 1981.
