This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Can Yerebakan Alexander Kaminski Bernd Westphal Gustav Steinhoff Andreas Liebold Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yerebakan, C. Articles by Liebold, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yerebakan, C. Articles by Liebold, A. Related Collections Valve disease

Thrombocytopenia after aortic valve replacement with the Freedom Solo stentless bioprosthesis

^a Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 35, 18057 Rostock, Germany
^b Department of Biometry and Computer Sciences, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +49-381-494-6101; fax:+49-381-494-6102.

E-mail address: can.yerebakan{at}med.uni-rostock.de (C. Yerebaken).

Stentless bioprostheses have been considered to achieve superior hemodynamics over stented bioprostheses for aortic valve replacement with improved long-term performance. We observed severe thrombocytopenia in patients who received the Sorin Freedom Solo aortic stentless pericardial bioprosthesis within the first days after implantation. Absolute and relative platelet counts within 2 weeks after implantation of either a stentless (Sorin Freedom Solo) or a stented (Sorin Mitroflow) bovine pericardial bioprosthesis were compared in a matched-pairs analysis in 40 patients. Except the preoperative values, absolute platelet count was higher at all time points in the Mitroflow group. In the Mitroflow group, the mean platelet count moderately dropped to a minimum of 60% of the initial value on POD 3 and fully recovered by POD 8. In the Freedom Solo group, platelet loss was significantly more severe (minimum relative value 25% on POD 4) with no recovery during follow-up (60% on POD 13). Eight patients of the Freedom Solo group experienced a critical platelet drop towards <20% of their initial values, in five of them absolute numbers decreased below 30,000/µl. No bleeding complications or other morbidity occurred. Attention should focus on the platelet count after implantation of the Freedom Solo bioprosthesis, especially in patients who are supposed to receive platelet inhibitors. However, the described phenomenon remains unexplained.

Key Words: Aortic valve, replacement; Heart valve, stentless; Heart valve, bioprosthesis; Blood coagulation

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Piccardo and T. Caus eComment: Lower postoperative platelet levels after aortic valve replacement with Freedom Solo prostheses: are there clinical repercussions? Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, January 1, 2009; 8(1): 73 - 73. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Yerebakan, B. Westphal, G. Steinhoff, and A. Liebold eComment: Freedom Solo stentless aortic bioprosthesis and postoperative thrombocytopenia - interpretation of available data and clinical consequences for surgeons Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, January 1, 2009; 8(1): 73 - 74. [Full Text] [PDF]