Cavitation phenomenon in mechanical prosthetic valves: Not only microbubbles

Introduction Microbubbles (MBs) or cavitation is high‐velocity, echo‐bright findings present during the closing or opening of a mechanical valve (MVP). Cavitation bubble growth or gas emboli are less frequently described. We evaluated the hemodynamic parameters involved in the formation of gas emboli and the impact of gas emboli on requests for additional investigations. Methods and Results Transthoracic echocardiographic studies (TTE) of 57...