[Hemolytic anemia as a result of hemodynamically-insignificant paravalvular dehiscence of St. Jude-Medical aortic valve prosthesis].

The course of a patient with aortic valve replacement is reported in whom increased intravascular hemolysis and auscultatory findings were suspicious of paravalvular dehiscence although other non-invasive examinations did not reveal pathological findings. Heart catheterization showed nearly normal pressures and angiocardiography minimal diastolic transaortic regurgitation. Nevertheless the patient had to be reoperated due to severe hemolytic anemia. Successful closure of the periprosthetic leakage resulted in prompt normalisation of laboratory findings of hemolysis.