[Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis of the aortic valve in a young woman]

Rev Esp Cardiol. 2002 Dec;55(12):1333-6. doi: 10.1016/s0300-8932(02)76807-3.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

A 40-year-old woman without heart disease suffered two embolic episodes in both legs due to a thrombus of the aortic valve. Transesophageal echocardiography performed after the first episode was considered normal, but a second study performed after the second embolism demonstrated a thrombus in the non-coronary leaflet that failed to resolve with the intravenous administration of heparin for two weeks. Surgical excision of the mass revealed a thrombus on an otherwise healthy aortic valve. The case is interesting because it is an exceptional cause of systemic embolism and the patient did not present a prothrombotic status in coagulation studies. The 3 years of follow-up was uneventful.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aortic Valve / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Valve / pathology*
  • Aortic Valve / surgery
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Embolism / etiology*
  • Endocarditis / etiology*
  • Endocarditis / pathology
  • Female
  • Heart Valve Diseases / complications*
  • Heart Valve Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Valve Diseases / surgery
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation
  • Humans
  • Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Thrombosis / etiology*
  • Thrombosis / surgery
  • Treatment Outcome