revealed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 55% and moderate-severe MR. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was decided as a next step. Rocking prosthetic ring and dehiscence were present in the TEE… Click to show full abstract
revealed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 55% and moderate-severe MR. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was decided as a next step. Rocking prosthetic ring and dehiscence were present in the TEE views respectively, with a severe MR (Fig. 1a, Video 1, 2). There were two MR jets. As observed in the TEE views, the first jet originated from the perimitral ring, while the second jet came from the basal portion of the posterior mitral leaflet (PML), which was suitable with the location of the mitral ring suture (Fig.1b, Video 3). Interestingly, mitral ring dehiscence possibly led to the occurrence of a defect in the PML of the junction zone, and this defect emerged as another source of MR (Fig. 1c, 1d, Video 4). Another surgical treatment was planned. Ring dehiscence is a rare clinical entity that usually leads to severe MR and requires urgent or emergent surgical reoperation (1). Endocarditis, trauma, or procedure-related issues may be responsible for triggering the dehiscence process, and progressive left ventricular geometric remodeling may also provoke the recurrence (2, 3). The characteristics of the tissue at the ring attachment areas are another important factor; therefore, weak and calcified tissues are more prone to separation from the ring (3). Also, attachment of the mitral ring to the basal portion of the PML in the previous surgery may lead to a predisposition for ring dehiscence, and the suture site on the PML served as an independent source of MR besides the jet from the perimitral ring. In this case, the TEE demonstrative images are presented to highlight this rare clinical condition. Clear demonstration of the different mechanisms of severe mitral regurgitation caused by mitral ring dehiscence during transesophageal echocardiography
               
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