Malfunction of a Lillehei-Kaster aortic valve presenting as loss of the normal valve click.
We report a patient with a malfunctioning Lillehei-Kaster aortic valve which presented only as loss of the normal valve click, 7 months after temporary interruption of anticoagulation at the time of abdominal surgery. Loss of a normal prosthetic valve click may be the only sign of prosthetic valve malfunction, and it is a surgical emergency. Patients with prosthetic heart valves, who undergo non-cardiac surgery, should not receive vitamin K1, and anticoagulation should be restarted promptly after surgery with intravenous heparin as well as warfarin.
Angelini
G D
GD
Fraser
A G
AG
Breckenridge
I M
IM
D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure