Early Prosthetic Valve Malfunction Leading to Cardiogenic Shock and Emergency Redo Mitral Valve Replacement

Early onset prosthetic valve stenosis is an uncommon complication after valve replacement surgery and is often caused by thrombus formation. Frequently it can be diagnosed by echocardiography and managed with optimizing anticoagulation and/or thrombolysis. We review a unique case of early bi-leaflet mechanical heart valve (BMHV) dysfunction where the patient rapidly progressed to cardiogenic shock requiring emergent re-do mitral valve surgery. Intraoperatively, the valve leaflets were found to be almost completely immobile secondary to thrombus formation directly on the hinges of the valve.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: E-Challenges & Clinical Decisions Source Type: research