The surgical treatment of restrictive cardiomyopathy in pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

A patient with pseudoxanthoma elasticum presented in pulmonary oedema with restrictive left ventricular cardiomyopathy caused by calcified endocardial bands that were confirmed on echocardiography and at catheterisation. The bands were resected as far as possible and the involved mitral valve was replaced by a heterograft. A year later calcification of the heterograft forced its replacement by a St Jude prosthesis. Relief of symptoms has been good in the medium term.