Soonchunhyang Med Sci.  2015 Dec;21(2):180-183. 10.0000/sms.2015.21.2.180.

Infected Thrombus of the Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve with Distal Arterial Embolization after 3 Years of Valve Replacement Surgery

• Hong JA
• Kim SA

• KMID: 2317785
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/sms.2015.21.2.180

Abstract

Current guidelines recommend the use of warfarin in the first 3 months after bioprosthetic valve replacement and suggest long-term anticoagulation only in patients with obvious risk factors for thrombosis. Despite at low risk of thromboembolism, we present a case of a 72-year-old male patient with infected thrombus at bioprosthetic aortic valve with distal arterial embolization after 3 years of replacement surgery. The incidence of asymptomatic bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) may be higher than anticipated and active surveillance echocardiography is needed to early detect BPVT before leading to fatal complication.

Keyword

Infection; Thrombosis; Endocarditis; Bioprosthesis; Aortic valve

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aortic Valve*
Bioprosthesis
Echocardiography
Endocarditis
Humans
Incidence
Male
Risk Factors
Thromboembolism
Thrombosis*
Warfarin
Warfarin