Percutaneous closure of an aortic prosthetic paravalvular leak with an Amplatzer duct occluder.

Following aortic valve replacement, up to 5% of patients may develop clinically significant paravalvular leaks. Reoperation is associated with higher mortality and an excess risk of recurrent paravalvular insufficiency. No specifically designed transcatheter device is available for paravalvular leak repair. We describe in a patient with severe aortic prosthetic paravalvular leak the use of an Amplatzer duct occluder device resulting in effective closure and symptomatic improvement. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.