[Non-heart surgical procedures in patients with mechanical valve prostheses. Experience with surgery in 38 patients]

The authors discuss their own experience with noncardiac surgery in continuously Coumarine anticoagulant treated patients with mechanical valvular prostheses. Of 38 patients treated since 1986 were 12 operated under full Coumarine anticoagulant treatment, on eighteen patients were given Heparin preoperatively in a continual infusion, five patients were given an anti-agreggation dose of Heparin and other didn't receive any anticoagulant treatment. According to the authors' opinion it is safer to change the patients before the planned surgical treatment to intravenous Heparin. In case of urgent surgery it is, however, possible to operate also anticoagulant treated patients on. The authors in principle don't recommend K vitamin administration before surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis before surgery is a matter of course.