title: Successful treatment of mechanical mitral valve thrombosis without thrombolytic therapy or surgery.
abstract: Prosthetic valve thrombosis is an uncommon, life-threatening complication that often mandates urgent repeat surgery or thrombolytic therapy. We present an alternative approach in a patient with rheumatic heart disease who presented with subacute thrombosis of a recently implanted On-X mechanical mitral valve (On-X Life Technologies Inc, Austin, TX), diagnosed on echocardiography and valve fluoroscopy. The patient refused surgery, hence we elected to treat the patient with high-dose antithrombotic therapy alone. Echocardiographic monitoring demonstrated complete reabsorption of the thrombus within 6 months without any embolic complications. Endogenous fibrinolysis with appropriate antithrombotic therapy might be a suitable option for select, high-risk patients with mechanical mitral valve thrombosis.
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Western University, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Hamad F
authors: HF
authors: Al Habib
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Tarola
authors: Pantelis
authors: P
authors: Diamantorous
authors: Michael W A
authors: MW
authors: Chu
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000601:surgery; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014859:Warfarin; D001241:Aspirin