Marked thrombosis and calcification of porcine heterograft valves

Prosthetic valvular dysfunction resulting in clinically significant complications occurred in six patients with Hancock porcine heterografts. In one patient with a prosthetic valve in the aortic position, massive prosthetic thrombosis resulted in sudden death. In two patients who had a mitral prosthesis, thrombosis resulted in congestive heart failure and systemic embolization; in one of the latter patients, the thrombi were infected with Candida sp. Calcification of organizing thrombi and cusp tissue resulted in valvular stenosis and congestive heart failure in one patient with an aortic prosthesis and in two patients with mitral prostheses. Four of the six patients died. The prosthetic valves had been in place for 6 months to 3 years before onset of complications. During the same 4-year interval, over 400 porcine prosthese were inserted. This report provides further clarification of the nature and frequency of clinical complications related to degeneration and thrombosis of Hancock porcine heterograft valves.