Demonstration of a Rocking Prosthetic Mitral Valve Using 3-Dimentional
Echocardiography and Live Surgical Imaging
Abstract
Prosthetic valve endocarditis is a complication of bacteremia which can
cause damage to the prosthetic valve or the tissue to which it was sewn.
Extensive tissue damage can result in a loss of anchoring and allow for
abnormal valvular motion. Dehiscence can lead to excessive motion of the
valve which is termed rocking. Through advances in imaging technology,
live 3-dimentional (3-D) transesophageal echocardiography can allow for
precise identification of the location of, and amount of dehiscence. We
present a 37-year old male with a rocking prosthetic valve demonstrated
on 3-D echocardiography and correlated to surgical manipulation.