Fracture of the occluder disc of a low-profile Starr-Edwards prosthesis is a hitherto unrecognized complication. We describe a patient who presented with right heart failure and severe pulmonary hypertension 27 years after mitral valve replacement with a model 6520 caged-disc prosthesis. At surgery, there was a longitudinal split in the occluder disc, and organized thrombus was lodged between the split segments. This case offers a unique opportunity to study the long-term effects of wear on the polyethylene poppet and Stellite cage.

How to cite: Malouf, J. F., Hannoush, H. M., & Odell, J. A. (2001). Fractured occluder disc: a previously unrecognized complication of the Starr-Edwards disc prosthesis. The Journal of heart valve disease, 10(1), 136–138.