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 that thrombosis of the prosthesis is a rare complication. In a 57-year-old woman, reoperation was necessary 12 months after triple valve replacement using SJM prostheses because of thrombosis of the valves in the tricuspid and aortic positions. Dysfunction of both mechanical valves was detected clinically by changing heart sounds and the appearance of murmurs. Echocardiography and cinefluoroscopy confirmed at least one fixed leaflet of the tricuspid prosthesis, but abnormalities of the aortic prosthesis could not be detected. At reoperation, the SJM prosthesis in the tricuspid position was almost completely thrombosed and was replaced by an Ionescu-Shiley bioprosthesis. A thrombotic formation at the hinge point of the SJM aortic prosthesis was removed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a thrombotic complication of two SJM prostheses after triple valve replacement in one patient.