Treatment of mechanical valve thrombosis in the right heart

Abstract

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a rare but serious complication of implanted mechanical valves. Intravenous thrombolytic treatment has emerged as an alternative to surgical therapy in the management of patients with stuck valves. As tricuspid valve replacement is a rare venture, the indications for such therapy and appropriate patient selection are evolving. As the type, dose, and route of administration of thrombolytic agents differ, major complications can be seen in the rapid infusion protocols. In patients with PVT, especially with right-sided valves, thrombolysis with intravenous slow infusion has given discrete, successive sessions guided by serial transthoracic echocardiography and cine/fluoroscopy which may be achieved with a low risk of complications and a high rate of success. Our report describes the management of two patients with PVT and discusses the current status of thrombolysis in such patients.