Medtronic received information that a (b)(6) female patient with a history of bicuspid aortic valve stenosis underwent successful implant of a medtronic advancing the standard (ats) 21-mm open-pivot mechanical heart valve (serial not reported).Postoperatively, the patient was asymptomatic and free of complications.Three years post-implant echocardiography showed a new cardiac murmur, high transvalvular pressure gradient, and a reduction in the valve orifice area.Cineradiography revealed restricted leaflet opening.Computed tomography demonstrated pannus overgrowth on the inflow aspect of the valve, and also dark spots of attenuation in the periannular region, suspected to be either degenerated sewing cuffs or pledgets used for valve fixation.In surgery, excessive growth of pannus over the valve-housing ring of the inflow side of the valve was confirmed, resultant in subvalvular stenosis and narrowing of the valve orifice area.The valve was explanted and successfully replaced by a non-medtronic bioprosthetic valve.No additional adverse patient effects were reported.
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