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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Standardized Technique of Aortic Valve Re-implantation for Valve-sparing Aortic Root Replacement
Published on: December 11, 2017
Circulatory Arrest due to Retrograde Embolization of a Transapically Implanted Aortic Valve Prosthesis with
Alexander Reske1, Karim Ibrahim, Andreas W Reske
1From the *Division of Anesthesiaand Intensive Care Medicine, Fachkrankenhaus Coswig GmbH, Coswig, Germany; †Department of Cardiology, Heart Center Dresden, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany; ‡Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; and §Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center Dresden, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
An 82-year-old man required aortic valve replacement because of aortic stenosis. A transapical approach was chosen to reduce surgical mortality. Initially, echocardiography and fluoroscopy confirmed correct valve positioning. Shortly thereafter, progressive paravalvular leakage, embolization of the valve prosthesis into the ventricle, and subsequent inversion of the prosthesis with complete left ventricular outflow occlusion were observed by echocardiography. Left ventricular outflow occlusion resulted in immediate circulatory arrest. We immediately converted to on-pump surgical aortic valve replacement. Cardiac output was restored once the valve was replaced. The patient fully recovered. This case report highlights the importance of periprocedural transesophageal echocardiography, which instantly detected the malpositioned valve and guided emergency management of this severe complication.
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