Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow References
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Disclaimer
Right arrow Request Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Piper, C.
Right arrow Articles by Horstkotte, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Piper, C.
Right arrow Articles by Horstkotte, D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


Prosthetic valve thrombosis: predisposition and diagnosis

C. Piper1, D. Hering and D. Horstkotte

Department of Cardiology, Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, University Hospital of the Ruhr University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany

1 Correspondence: Comelia Piper, MD, Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Department of Cardiology, Georgstrasse 11, D-32545 Bad Oeynhausen, Germany

Abstract

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is an obstruction of a prosthesis by non-infective thrombotic material. The interaction of a variety of prosthesis- and patient-related factors account for risk for PVT. The typical clinical finding in PVT is diminution of occluder clicks, which may be detected using sound spectroscopy. Fluoroscopy facilitates prompt and reliable assessment of occluder movements. Interpretation of echocardiographic findings is not so simple. Echo-Doppler derived gradients that are twice as high as those found in ‘normal’ prostheses are suspicious and indicate PVT. Early diagnosis and prompt therapeutic intervention are required for successful management of PVT.

Key Words: Anticoagulation • fluoroscopy • hypercoagulability • prosthetic valve thrombosis • sound spectroscopy


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.