Osteoporosis: a factor in mortality following cardiac surgery

Osteoporosis may be a significant factor in unfavorable results following open cardiac surgery. This brief case report describes the fatal outcome of mitral valve replacement in an elderly woman with congestive heart failure complicated by severe osteoporosis. Profound collapse of the thoracic spine resulted in pulmonary insufficiency. The discussion includes substantiation that this phenomenon is not unusual but rather can be expected to occur in postmenopausal women who are inactive, not receiving calcium and vitamin D supplements, and are suffering from congestive heart failure for which loop diuretics are administered. Bone mineral density testing is essential to determine and track the efficacy of treatment.