paravalvular leak
Pronunciation: PAIR-ah-VAL-vyoo-lar
Abnormal blood flow around the periphery of a prosthetic heart valve due to incomplete sealing.
Full Definition
Paravalvular leak, also known as perivalvular leak, is a complication following heart valve replacement where blood flows around the outer edge of the prosthetic valve rather than through it. This occurs when there is incomplete sealing between the valve sewing ring and the native annulus, often due to annular calcification, infection, tissue friability, or technical factors during implantation. Paravalvular leaks can cause hemolysis, heart failure, or endocarditis and may require surgical repair with patch closure or valve re-replacement. Diagnosis is typically made with echocardiography or cardiac catheterization.
Usage
Usage note: Grade severity as trivial, mild, moderate, or severe based on echocardiographic assessment.
In Context
- "Post-operative echo revealed a mild paravalvular leak at the mitral position." — echocardiography report
- "The patient required reoperation for repair of a significant paravalvular leak causing hemolysis." — surgical indication