Severe Valvular Regurgitation and Late Prosthesis Embolization After Percutaneous Aortic Valve Implantation

We report the case of a 79-year-old man with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis who underwent transapical aortic valve implantation. The deployment of a 26-mm Edwards SAPIEN valve (Edwards Lifesciences Inc, Irvine, CA) was complicated with the occurrence of severe central aortic regurgitation that was successfully treated with the implantation of a second valve (“valve-in-valve”). Postoperative progress was satisfactory but 2 days after the procedure he suddenly developed cardiogenic shock secondary to the migration of the aortic bioprothesis into the left ventricular outflow tract. Open-heart surgery was undertaken to remove the valves and perform standard aortic valve replacement, but the patient died perioperatively.