Malfunction of a Lillehei-Kaster Aortic Valve Presenting as Loss of the Normal Valve Click

G. D. Angelini; A. G. Fraser; I. M. Breckenridge

doi:10.1055/s-2007-1020378

The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon, Table of Contents

Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1986; 34(1): 68-69
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1020378

Case Report

Malfunction of a Lillehei-Kaster Aortic Valve Presenting as Loss of the Normal Valve Click

G. D. Angelini¹ , A. G. Fraser² , I. M. Breckenridge¹

¹Department of Cardiac Surgery
²Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff UK

Abstract

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Summary

We report a patient with a malfunctioning Lillehei-Kaster aortic valve which presented only as loss of the normal valve click, 7 months after temporary interruption of anticoagulation at the time of abdominal surgery. Loss of a normal prosthetic valve click may be the only sign of prosthetic valve malfunction, and it is a surgical emergency. Patients with prosthetic heart valves, who undergo non-cardiac surgery, should not receive vitamin K₁, and anticoagulation should be restarted promptly after surgery with intravenous heparin as well as warfarin.

Key words

Lillehei-Kaster - Missing aortic click

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