Fatty infiltration causing changes in the silastic poppet of the Model 1000 series Starr-Edwards aortic valve prostheses (ball variance) has been detected with increasing frequency and can result in sudden death. Phonocardiograms were recorded on 12 patients with ball variance confirmed by operation and of 31 controls. Ten of the 12 patients with ball variance were distinguished from the contro...

Marked stenosis or incompetence of the aortic valve invariably causes progressive disability and early death. They are best treated by surgery, and since July 1964 the treatment of choice in Bristol has been replacement with the Starr-Edwards ball valve prosthesis. Originally constructed of a silicone rubber ball contained in a Vitallium-like alloy cage, the ball has shown signs of wearing out ...

Diastolic murmurs associated with the Starr-Edwards mitral prosthesis have not been described previously. In this report, five patients with mitral prostheses are described in whom apical mid-diastolic and presystolic murmurs resulted from two different causes. Three patients had clots obstructing the prosthetic orifice. The other two had normally functioning protheses and moderately severe aor...