Mechanical heart valve thrombosis in two pregnant patients followed up with low-molecular weight heparin therapy: A case report

doi:10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2012.117

Mete Hıdıroğlu, Aslıhan Küçüker, Erhan Renan Uçaroğlu, Ayşegül Kunt, Levent Çetin, Erol Şener

Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kalp ve Damar Cerrahisi Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye

DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2012.117

Life-long anticoagulation therapy is mandatory for patients with mechanical heart valves in order to prevent thromboembolic events. However, controversy still exists concerning which anticoagulant therapy protocol is best for pregnant patients with mechanical heart valves. In this article, we present two pregnant cases of mechanical heart valve thrombosis who were followed up with low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) therapy. The patients, who were switched from anticoagulants to LMWH to prevent fetal side effects during pregnancy, underwent emergency surgery due to mechanical heart valve thrombosis in the 10th w eek a nd s ixth m onth o f pregnancy, respectively. Although fetal and baby loss occurred, the patients recovered in the postoperative period and were discharged uneventfully.

Keywords : Pregnancy; prosthetic heart valves; thrombosis

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