There is also a concern that persons implanted with Silzone valves face higher risks of thrombus formation, thrombosis and stroke. A thrombus is a blood clot that can form upon the valve, affecting its operation or even rendering it inoperable.
Thrombosis is a condition in which blood clots form and then move through the blood stream.
This bulletin reported a study in the United Kingdom of 51 patients implanted with silzone valves. Seven of these patients suffered a stroke. Upon reviewing the data, the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland confirmed that there is a greater thromboembolic event rate associated with silzone valves compared to standard St. Jude mechanical heart valves. This data was presented at a recent meeting of the American Heart Association in Atlanta. The data showed that persons implanted with the silzone valves had much higher incidences of stroke and major embolism.