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Critical Limb Ischemia in a Young Patient With a Mechanical Aortic Valve Leading to Bilateral Above-Knee Amputation
Internal Medicine
  • Shiwani Kamath, HCA Healthcare
  • Abid Ulhaque, HCA Healthcare
  • Rias Ali, HCA Healthcare
  • Johnathan frunzi, HCA Healthcare
Division
West Florida
Hospital
Medical Center of Trinity
Document Type
Case Report
Publication Date
5-15-2021
Keywords
  • non-compliance,
  • mechanical aortic valve complications,
  • bilateral thrombosis,
  • anti-coagulation,
  • critical limb ischemia
Abstract

This case reports a 24-year-old female with prior aortic insufficiency who underwent a mechanical aortic valve replacement with subsequent transient ischemic attacks and documented subtherapeutic international normalized ratio (INR). She presented with pain and bilateral lower extremity pulselessness. Workup showed a supratherapeutic INR, no thrombus on echocardiogram, and computed tomography angiography demonstrating no flow in the bilateral common femoral arteries. Patient failed repeated thrombectomies and had a bilateral above-knee amputation. The patient was suspected to have acute on chronic emboli from the mechanical aortic valve and further testing did not elucidate contributory causes of her critical limb ischemia. We believe this is the first documented case of bilateral lower extremity ischemia due to mechanical valve complications.

Publisher or Conference
Cureus
Citation Information
Kamath S, Ulhaque A, Ali R, et al. Critical Limb Ischemia in a Young Patient With a Mechanical Aortic Valve Leading to Bilateral Above-Knee Amputation. Cureus. 2021;13(5):e15046. doi:10.7759/cureus.15046