Bioprosthetic valves are used in aortic valve replacement to avoid lifelong anticoagulation. Bovine pericardial valves have excellent haemodynamics and equivalent freedom from reoperation compared with a porcine bioprosthesis [ 1]. However, early failure (parastent post-cusp tear) can take place due to mechanical stress. We report an acute structural failure on a Trifecta pericardial valve (St Jude Medical, Inc.) explanted after 34 months from a 71-year old woman.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.