Recurrent prosthetic valve thrombosis: Importance of prolonged Doppler echocardiography examination for diagnosis

In a 9-month period a 52-year-old woman was admitted on 3 occasions with th rombotic obstruction of a Medtronic Hall aortic valve prosthesis. On the fi rst occasion the diagnosis was clinically obvious; on the second occasion p rosthetic valve malfunction was detected fortuitously on Doppler echocardio graphy; on the third occasion the diagnosis was made after prolonged Dopple r echocardiographic examination. The patient was treated with thrombolysis, surgical thrombectomy, and aortic valve re-replacement on the 3 occasions, respectively.