A Word of Caution Is Needed Before Uttering a Word of Caution: Thrombocytopenia and Sutureless Valves

Authors

  • Giuseppe Santarpino Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg
  • Theodor Fischlein Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg
  • Steffen Pfeiffer Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1532/hsf.1389

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia occurring after surgical bioprosthetic valve implantation is a phenomenon that has been long investigated, and various explanations have been provided [Santarpino 2012a]. Our group has been addressing this topic over several years, extending back to the original description of this phenomenon in Freedom Solo (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy). However, we observed that this was a transitory and self-limited phenomenon without clinical consequence [Santarpino 2011; Santarpino 2012a]. Our center began implanting the Perceval aortic valve (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy) in 2010, and we have gained a vast experience in sutureless aortic valve replacement with Perceval, with more than 300 implants performed to date [Fischlein 2015].

References

Albacker TB. 2015. Thrombocytopenia associated with perceval sutureless aortic valve replacement in elderly patients: a word of caution. Heart Surg Forum 18:E093-7.

Fischlein T, Pfeiffer S, Pollari F, Sirch J, Vogt F, Santarpino G. 2015. Sutureless valve implantation via mini J-sternotomy: a single center experience with 2 years mean follow-up. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 63:467-71.

Santarpino G, Pfeiffer S, Fischlein T. 2011. Thrombocytopenia after freedom solo: the mystery goes on. Ann Thorac Surg 91:330.

Santarpino G, Fischlein T. 2012. Thrombocytopenia in open heart surgery: a multicolored world. In: El Sayed Zaki M, ed. Thrombocytopenia: causes, diagnosis and treatment. Chapter 2. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers; pp. 41-68.

Santarpino G, Pfeiffer S, Concistrè G, Fischlein T. 2012. A supra-annular malposition of the Perceval S sutureless aortic valve: the ‘χ-movement’ removal technique and subsequent reimplantation. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 15:280-1.

Published

2016-08-19

How to Cite

Santarpino, G., Fischlein, T., & Pfeiffer, S. (2016). A Word of Caution Is Needed Before Uttering a Word of Caution: Thrombocytopenia and Sutureless Valves. The Heart Surgery Forum, 19(4), E169. https://doi.org/10.1532/hsf.1389

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