Difference in structural change in the Carpentier-Edwards pericardial valves implanted in the mitral and tricuspid positions.

We report a 29-year-old patient with prosthetic valve dysfunction with severe calcific stenosis in the mitral position but no structural change in the tricuspid position after mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve supra-annular implantation with same bioprostheses at the seven years before. The difference in structural change between the mitral position and the tricuspid position might be due mainly to the effect of mechanical stress on the cusps, rather than to any difference in serum calcium levels. However, some hormonal effect other than that of the parathyroid hormone on the systemic and pulmonary circulation might be related to the early progression in cusp calcification in the systemic circulation.