Treatment of Left-Sided Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis: Thrombolysis or Surgery?
Christopher A. Rinaldi MD, Richard M. Heppell MD, John B. Chambers MD

Left-sided PVT is a catastrophic and commonly fatal event. Traditionally, surgery has been the treatment of choice for PVT, but there are significant risks associated with re-do surgery. Thrombolysis offers an alternative to surgery but is associated with a risk of systemic embolism. Guidelines for thrombolytic therapy for left-sided PVT exist, but may require updating in the light of new data.