[A successful case of repeated prosthetic valve re-replacement for somatic growth in childhood]

The patient who had had systemic atrio-ventricular valve replacement with Björk-Shiley 19 M at the age of 4 years was treated successfully with repeated re-replacement with St. Jude Medical 23M and St. Jude Medical 27M at the age of 8 years and 16 years respectively, because of his somatic growth. Two size larger valve was easily replaced at each operation. The original disease of this patient was corrected transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and regurgitation of the left atrio-ventricular valve caused by Ebstain anomaly and severe pulmonary hypertension. This case revealed that the annulus of the atrio-ventricular valve would grow even when fixed to the prosthetic valve sawing ring, thereby permitting the use of a larger-sized valve at the time of second and third prosthetic valve re-replacement.