3-1 Baseline characteristics
Sixty-seven episodes of mechanical TV thrombosis in forty-two patients were evaluated. The mean age was 45.5 ± 14.3 years (range 19-77) with a predominance of females (28 women, 66.6%). A total of 47 (70.1%) episodes were developed in females. The median frequency of TV thrombosis episodes in patients was 2 (1-3), and the median number of previous sternotomy was 2 (2-3). Twenty episodes (29.8%) occurred in ≤12 months and 31(46.2%) episodes in ≤24 months. All patients were on warfarin, and aspirin use was documented in 48 (71.6%). The history of obvious recent discontinuation of warfarin was identified in two patients due to minor medical interventions and in one patient because of trauma. The Ebstein’s anomaly was the most common congenital heart disease observed in 5 (11.9%) patients with 8 (11.9%) episodes of thrombosis. Other baseline characteristics are summarized in