Marked mitral prosthesis rocking motion preceding atrioventricular groove rupture.

Rupture of the atrioventricular groove is an uncommon but dreaded complication of mitral valve replacement. We present the case of a 74-year-old male submitted to mitral valve surgery, complicated by atrioventricular groove rupture presaged by the excessive rocking movement of the prosthesis seen in the pre-discharge transthoracic echocardiogram. < Valvular prosthesis rocking movement has been typically associated with paravalvular leaks and fistulae.