[Avulsion of a calcified leaflet as a complication of aortic valvuloplasty]

Valvuloplasty was recently introduced as a palliative treatment of calcific aortic stenosis in elderly patients. Embolisation of valvular material has not been described as complication yet. We describe the detachment of a large calcific fragment resulting in acute, severe aortic incompetence in a 76-year-old patient. During immediate operative valve replacement the calcific embolus was recovered from the abdominal aorta.