Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2020
A Tale of Two Valves: Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Obstruction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome.
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLAS) are at risk for cardiac manifestations, specifically valvular heart disease requiring valve replacement. Bioprosthetic valve endocarditis is an important cause of valve failure, and it is important to keep a wide differential, especially in patients with preexisting SLE and APLAS. ⋯ Etiologies for bioprosthetic valve obstruction and evaluation by echocardiography are explored. The comparison between these 2 cases specifically highlights the importance of keeping a wide differential in endocarditis, prosthetic valve vegetations, and bioprosthetic valve obstruction.