Thrombembolic malfunction of a Björk-Shiley aortic valve prosthesis

The case history and pathomorphological findings of a very rare fatal complication following prosthetic heart valve replacement are described: A 51-year-old woman died of acute malfunction of her Björk-Shiley aortic valve prosthesis caused by a large embolus deriving from the left atrium. After triple valve replacement 30 months earlier she seemed to be in good health. She had been subject to absolute arrhythmia for many years, and anticoagulation treatment had been felt to be sufficient.