Pseudoabscess of the aortic root caused by ectopic seating of an aortic prosthesis

An approach to some of the technical problems involved in aortic valve replacement includes positioning of some or all of the prosthetic ring in a position ectopic to the true aortic annulus. Such placement can create the apparent appearance of an echolucent region adjacent to the prosthetic ring that shows flow on color Doppler interrogation to suggest the presence of an abscess cavity. This case demonstrates how such a pseudoabscess can be created and the clinical and echocardiographic clues that were used to make the correct diagnosis. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:997-1000.)