2Department of Cardiology, Hitit University Çorum Training and Research Hospital; Çorum-Turkey
3Department of Cardiology, Kars Harakani State Hospital; Kars-Turkey
4Department of Cardiology, Kars Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine; Kars-Turkey
5Department of Cardiology, Koşuyolu Kartal Heart Training and Research Hospital; İstanbul-Turkey
6School of Health Sciences, Ardahan University; Ardahan-Turkey
Abstract
Prosthetic valve thrombosis is one of the major causes of primary valve failure, which can be life-threatening. Multimodality imaging is neces- sary for determination of leaflet immobilization, cause of underlying pathology (thrombus versus pannus or both), and whether thrombolytic therapy attempt in the patient would be successful or surgery is needed. Current guidelines for the management of prosthetic valve thrombosis lack definitive class I recommendations due to lack of randomized controlled trials, and usually leave the choice of treatment to the clinician’s experience. In this review, we aimed to summarize the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of mechanical prosthetic valve thrombosis. (Anatol J Cardiol 2016; 16: 980-9)