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SURVEILLANCE OF THE VALVULAR PROSTHESES

- Biologic prostheses/Mechanical prostheses
- Prevention of the infective endocarditis
- After surgery
- The complications

The complications

a - The formation of a clot in the mechanical valves

This situation is more frequent when the prosthesis is in a mitral position. Very often, this complication is due to an insufficient anticoagulation.

This complication comes with arterial embolisms, in particular in the brain arteries. A loss of consciousness, an acute pulmonary oedema or a cardiac insufficiency can also be revealing of this complication.

b - The desinsertion of the prosthesis

This complication occurs more often when the prosthesis is in an aortic position and when the suture is not good quality.

This complication comes with an insufficiency of the valve murmur and is often associated to a cardiac decompensation.

c - The destruction of red blood cells on contact with the prosthesis

Sometimes, the valvular prosthesis is responsible for the destruction of red blood cells bursting on contact with the prosthesis. This phenomenon is responsible for the formation of an anaemia that can cause many symptoms: loss of consciousness, fatigue...

This complication is more frequent when the prosthesis is in a mitral position.

d - The infective endocarditis

A microbe can take hold of the valvular prosthesis, thus inducing an endocarditis on the prosthesis.

This complication is serious because its treatment is often long, with an uncertain result, and sometimes obliges the physician to entrust his patient to the cardiac surgeon’s care who will replace the prosthesis, often under bad conditions.

e - Wear: more and more rare

f - The haemorrhagic accidents

The risk of a fatal accident with vitamin K antagonist treatment is 0.5%/year/patient.

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File last reviewed on dec 18, 2011