DISC VARIANCE OF THE HARKEN MITRAL PROSTHESIS: THE CONTRIBUTION OF ASSOCIATED AORTIC REGURGITATION.

Four cases of severe mitral regurgitation due to disc variance of the Harken disc prosthesis in the mitral position are described. The valve occluder actually escaped into the left atrium in two patients, and neither survived despite emergency valve replacement. In the other two, disc malfunction was identified by flouroscopy, the prosthesis was replaced, and both patients survived. All four patients had associated aortic regurgitation, which most likely contributed to erosion of the disc edges. It is suggested that patients with the Harken disc prosthesis undergo periodic evaluation to detect abnormal disc motion.