ABSTRACT
Thrombosis of a mechanical valvular prosthesis is often a dramatic fatal complication. All thromboembolic risk factors lead to valvular thrombosis, the most common cause is insufficient anticoagulant treatment. The aim of this paper is to explain the importance of anticoagulation which remains the best preventive treatment. From 1995 to 2001, a total of 9 valvular thrombosis patients 6 females and 3 males-aged 26 to 50 years have been reported. 7 patients had mitral valve affection, one had aortic valve and the last one had tricusped affection. All of them received an insufficient anticoagulant regimen, 5 developed auricular fibrillation arrythmia. The delay between appearance of symptoms and management was 14 to 96h; 8 pateints had urgent operatins. 4 of them had a mechanical valvular replacement prothesis, one had bioprosthesis, 2 had thrombectomy, one had thrombolysis and one died during the operation. Mortality rate was 45% [4 patients], all of them were in a state of cardiogenic shock at their admission, 3 died at the immediate post operative period. Follow up of 5 patients for 3 years showed a good evolution. These data demonstrate that informing the patient and his family about the bad prognosis and the difficulty of treating these valvular thrombosis could be presented through a rigorous control of anticoagulant treatment