[Subannular pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle complicating mitral valve replacement; apropos of a case]

The authors report the case of a 72 year old woman with a Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthesis implanted in March 1981 for severe mitral stenosis, asymptomatic until 1986. The progression of effort dyspnoea with prosthetic valve dysfunction despite digitalo-diuretic therapy and severe ventricular subannular pseudoaneurysm. Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation and angiography confirmed the mitral subannular pseudoaneurysm and led to surgical cure of this fibrous structure and implantation of a mechanical mitral valve prosthesis. This complication of mitral valve replacement is a cause of pseudoaneurysm which should not be overlooked.