Collapse and massive pulmonary edema secondary to thrombosis of a mitral mechanical heart valve prosthesis during low-molecular weight heparin therapy.
Mechanical heart valves (MHV) are particularly exposed to thrombosis if anticoagulation becomes ineffective. Thromboembolic complications may be avoided by oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists or derivatives of unfractionated heparin. A few cases of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) as sole anticoagulant in patients with MHV have been published, though with contradictory results. We report a case of a massive thrombosis of a St. Jude Medical mitral valve after the patient had been treated for one month with calcium nadroparin (Fraxiparine).
Idir
M
M
Service de Cardiologie, Hopital Cardiologique du Haut-Leveque, Pessac, CHU de Bordeaux, France.
Madonna
F
F
Roudaut
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve; D017762:Nadroparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000209:etiology*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D017762:Nadroparin