Giant left atrium in a patient with Starr-Edwards caged ball implanted three decades ago.

摘要

The Starr-Edwards caged ball valve is one of the oldest cardiac valve prostheses and was widely used all around the world in the past decades [1]. Few patients are reported to have lived with Starr-Edwards prosthesis for 30 years or longer. A 64-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with complaints of dyspnea on exertion (NHYA Class III), abdominal distention, peripheral swelling, and diminished appetite. She underwent mechanical mitral replacement with Starr-Edwards caged ball valve prosthesis due to rheumatic mitral valve disease (predominantly severe mitral regurgitation) at age 34.