Evaluation of bioprosthetic valve-associated thrombus in ventricular assist device patients.

Thromboembolic events may be related to thrombotic deposition on prosthetic valves. In a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) that contains two porcine pericardial bioprosthetic valves in addition to significant associated biomaterial placement, this may be particularly true. Thrombotic deposits on valves removed from LVADs at autopsy or heart transplantation were scored to determine (1) the nature and location of valvular deposition, (2) whether deposition was related to thromboembolic events, (3) correlations between deposition and patient hemodynamic and coagulation parameters, and (4) implant time dependency.