Surgical treatment of caseous mitral valve annulus calcification

Abstract

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is common in the elderly population. It can cause mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, and heart block and can complicate attempts to repair or replace the mitral valve. Extensive MAC can undergo liquefaction and simulate an intracardiac mass. Previously this rare entity was believed to be a benign incidental finding on imaging. We describe a case of caseous MAC mimicking a cardiac tumor and causing spontaneous cerebral embolization.