Perivalvular leakage after valve replacement is an awkward complication, and is liable to recur if re-replacement of a prosthetic valve is attempted. We describe an alternative way to repair perivalvular leakage by plastering the crack resulting from left-atrial degeneration around the prosthetic cuff using an equine pericardial roll. Our technique, which does not involve re-replacement of the prosthetic valve, is an easy, timesaving, and cost-effective method. The pericardium is useful for covering the crack between the prosthetic cuff and the hard left-atrial wall.
Copyright © 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.