M-mode and cross-sectional echocardiographic features of flail pulmonary valve. A case report.

In a patient with patent ductus arteriosus, a pulmonary regurgitant murmur developed after the treatment of endocarditis. M-mode echocardiograms showed abnormal echo mass, characterized by fine diastolic fluttering, in the right ventricular outflow tract during diastole which were continuous with anterior pulmonary leaflet and thick pedunculated lesions attached to the anterior pulmonary leaflet were seen to be moving freely by cross-sectional echocardiography. At autopsy the destruction of the pulmonary valve was confirmed. This study suggests that diagnosis of flail pulmonary valve is feasible by M-mode and cross-sectional echocardiography.