Failure of Beal mitral valve prosthesis. Clinical and radiographic features.

This report presents a case of severe dysfunction of an improved Model 104 Beall valve secondary to disc wear. This type of valve failure may be extremely difficult to detect by auscultation, echocardiography, or fluoroscopic examination. Prosthesis failure with resulting mitral insufficiency should be considered in any patient with a Teflon disc Beall mitral valve in whom there is unexplained clinical deterioration.