HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Andersen, P. V. Articles by Alstrup, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Andersen, P. V. Articles by Alstrup, P.

European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 6, 62-65, Copyright © 1992 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery

ARTICLES

Long-term survival and complications in patients with mechanical aortic valves without anticoagulation. A follow-up study from 1 to 15 years

PV Andersen and P Alstrup
Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.

In aortic valve replacement most centres prefer to use a mechanical valve for younger patients without special bleeding risks and treat the patient with lifelong anticoagulation. However, a few patients do not receive anticoagulation at all or have this withdrawn after some time. We examined the prognosis of 43 patients, 37 men and 6 women (mean age 52 years), who were treated with anticoagulation for approximately only 1 year (mean 13 months; range 4-35 months) after isolated aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve. The mean follow-up period was 7 years and 3 months (1.5 months to 15 years and 10 months). After 5 and 10 years, 70% and 59%, respectively, were free of thromboembolic events, 65% and 55%, respectively, were free of valve-related events, and 87% and 83%, respectively, had survived. These figures correspond to linearized rates of thromboembolic events of 5.2%/pt-yr, valve- related events of 6.2%/pt-yr and death of 2.9%/pt-yr. We conclude that the best postoperative treatment in isolated aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve is lifelong anticoagulation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. D. Desai and G. T. Christakis Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Replacement: Stented Pericardial and Porcine Valves Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2008; 3(2008): 857 - 894. [Full Text]

				J. Nowell, E. Wilton, H. Markus, and M. Jahangiri Antithrombotic therapy following bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., April 1, 2007; 31(4): 578 - 585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Hering, C. Piper, R. Bergemann, C. Hillenbach, M. Dahm, C. Huth, and D. Horstkotte Thromboembolic and Bleeding Complications Following St. Jude Medical Valve Replacement: Results of the German Experience With Low-Intensity Anticoagulation Study Chest, January 1, 2005; 127(1): 53 - 59. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. D. Desai and G. T. Christakis Stented Mechanical/Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Replacement Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2003; 2(2003): 825 - 856. [Full Text]