[Pulmonary root reconstruction with a cryopreserved pulmonary allograft for mechanical pulmonary valve thrombosis]

A 58-year-old woman suffering from congestive heart failure caused by a mechanical pulmonary valve thrombosis was operated on with a pulmonary allograft. She had experienced pulmonary valvotomy and resection of infundibular stenotic muscle for congenital pulmonary stenosis at the age of 23 years old. She got congestive heart failure caused by pulmonary regurgitation, and underwent pulmonary valve replacement with a St. Jude Medical (SJM) valve when she was 48 years old. She suffered from episodes of a thrombosed SJM valve in 1984 and 1993. Each time, thrombolytic treatment with urokinase or recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator was effective. She suffered from the third episode of SJM valve thrombosis in January 1994. As thrombolytic treatment was not effective this time, the thrombosed SJM valve was resected and her pulmonary root was reconstructed with a cryopreserved pulmonary allograft. Postoperative course was uneventful, and she now enjoys her life without anticoagulant therapy.