• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.12
• /
• pp.1031-1035
• /
• 1994

Mechanical valve thrombosis is a serious and potential lethal complication unless early diagnosis & prompt therapy are made. We have been experienced 3 cases of valve thrombosis. From Aug. 1988 to July 1994, reoperations of mitral valve replacement [MVR] with mechanical prostheses [all mitral] were performed in three patients[2 men, 1 woman] due to valve thromboses. All three patients were diagnosed by means of cineradiography. Preoperative status of was shock status and he was applied intra-aortic balloon pump [IABP]. All three cases of prosthetic valve failure [PVF] were treated by Redo-MVR. Time intervals of reoperations were 5months, 40months, and 35months, respectively. In all cases, valve thromboses were excised successfully. Cineradiography provided an accurate diagnosis in all cases, which was utilized as safe, reliable & noninvasive imaging modalities. There were no operative death & complication. All three patients were fully recovered and returned to their employements, and active lives.