A SECOND CASE OF LATE EMBOLIZATION OF PROSTHETIC MITRAL VALVE OCCLUDER WITH SURVIVAL FOLLOWING REOPERATION.

A 51-year-old male with acute fulminating pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock secondary to severe mitral insufficiency from dislodgment of the disc occluder in a Wada-Cutter valve was treated by immediate open heart procedure with a Bjork-Shiley mitral valve replacement. The patient survived and remains well. This is the second patient reported to survive operation and replacement of a malfunctioning prosthetic mitral valve from which the poppet escaped and embolized. The first case was reported by Hughes et al(1) in February, 1975. Some striking similarities, as well as differences, in these two cases are discussed.