Late spontaneous disruption of a porcine xenograft mitral valve. Clinical, hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and pathological findings.

A case is presented of failure of a Hancock porcine xenograft mitral prosthesis secondary to disruption of the prosthetic leaflets. Clinical, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic evidence of prosthetic dysfunction has been correlated with operative, pathological, and ultrastructural findings. Other instances of dysfunction of this prosthesis have been reviewed. Echocardiography should be routinely employed when the diagnosis of xenograft dysfunction is entertained.