Thrombosis of two St. Jude Medical prostheses in one patient after triple valve replacement. Case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Reports of experience with the St. Jude Medical (SJM) valve state thatthrombosis of the prosthesis is a rare complication. In a 57-year-oldwoman, reoperation was necessary 12 months after triple valve replacementusing SJM prostheses because of thrombosis of the valves in the tricuspidand aortic positions. Dysfunction of both mechanical valves was detectedclinically by changing heart sounds and the appearance of murmurs.Echocardiography and cinefluoroscopy confirmed at least one fixed leafletof the tricuspid prosthesis, but abnormalities of the aortic prosthesiscould not be detected. At reoperation, the SJM prosthesis in the tricuspidposition was almost completely thrombosed and was replaced by anIonescu-Shiley bioprosthesis. A thrombotic formation at the hinge point ofthe SJM aortic prosthesis was removed. To our knowledge, this is the firstreport of a thrombotic complication of two SJM prostheses after triplevalve replacement in one patient.