Collapse and Massive Pulmonary Edema Secondary to a Thrombosis of a Mitral
Mechanical Heart Valve Prosthesis during Low-Molecular Weight Heparin Therapy
Messaoud Idir MD, Francesco Madonna MD, Raymond Roudaut MD

Mechanical heart valves (MHV) are particularly exposed to thrombosis if anticoagulation becomes ineffective. Thromboembolic complications may be avoided by oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists or derivatives of unfractionated heparin. Some cases of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) use as sole anticoagulant in patients with MHV have been published, though with contradictory results. We report a case of a massive thrombosis of a St. Jude Medical (SJM) mitral valve after treatment of the patient for one month with calcium nadroparin (Fraxiparine).