Occasional Single Beat Regurgitation Observed with the Medtronic Advantage Bileaflet Heart Valve

Some patients with the Medtronic Advantage prosthesis in the aortic position show an intermittent inability of complete valve closure that leads to a single beat transvalvular regurgitation. As thrombotic or other material that might cause a disturbance of leaflet motion could not be detected, and the patients seem not to be exposed to any risk except for some chronic regurgitant volume, we decided not to replace the prostheses.