Clinical evaluation of a new anticoagulant therapy in prosthetic valve replacement.

Thromboembolic complication was correlated with the methods of anticoagulant therapy used in the patients with Starr-Edwards non cloth-covered or cloth-covered ball valve. A new anticoagulant therapy combining Bucolome with Warfarin has been used for the patients who were unable to be maintained in a suitable range of thrombotest Owren with Warfarin alone. The results obtained in this new therapy showed that the incidence of thromboembolism was reduced to 0.02 per patient year or less in the patients with Starr-Edwards ball valve as well as Björk-Shiley tilting disc valve.