An unusual case of Bjork-Shiley mitral valve dysfunction corrected nonsurgically

A case of Bjork-Shiley mitral valve dysfunction is presented. The patient has not responded to anticoagulant therapy and had hypotension, dyspnea, chest pain, and a pulse deficit but normal sinus rhythm. Simultaneous echocardiogram, ECG, and arterial pulse tracing were used as noninvasive means of monitoring. Nonsurgical correction of a clinical emergency restored the patient to prior normal baseline cardiovascular function. This case illustrates the possibility of restoring normal prosthetic function by supporting the patient medically while undertaking diagnostic testing and arranging surgical intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a malfunctioning Bjork-Shiley mitral valve corrected without surgery.