Postoperative care and patient follow-up
Postoperative anticoagulation therapy with warfarin was continued only
for the first 3 months. The prothrombin time–international normalized
ratio was controlled at 1.5 to 2.5. Because no patients developed atrial
fibrillation, subsequent continuation of anticoagulation therapy was not
needed for any patients. Transthoracic echocardiograms were obtained
before discharge and every year thereafter on an outpatient basis.