What are the complications of bioprosthetic cardiac valve replacement?
The main complications of bioprosthetic cardiac valve replacement include thromboemboli, bleeding, and stroke. High risk of thromboemboli has been reported in the early stages after replacement, as demonstrated in a study by Heras et al. (1995). Cannegieter et al. (1994) also reported thromboembolic and bleeding complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses. Vahedi and Amarenco (2000) further discussed the role of cardiac causes in stroke.