Usefulness and Safety of Rivaroxaban in Patients Following Isolated Mitral Valve Replacement With a Mechanical Prosthesis

Rivaroxaban has previously been tested in experimental and animal models with encouraging results. We prospectively selected seven patients between May 2017 and January 2018 who underwent isolated mitral valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis and had unstable INR control at least 3 months after surgery. An intervention of rivaroxaban 15mg was then administered twice daily for a period of 90days. No patient presented intracardiac thrombus, reversible ischemic neurological deficit, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and hospitalization or death during 3 months of follow-up. Two patients eradicated the presence of spontaneous echo contrast. Mean and peak pressure gradients, peak velocity, effective orifice area, and PHT were similar before and after the intervention. In conclusion, the use of rivaroxaban for 90days in seven patients after replacement of mitral valve with the mechanical prosthesis did not present thromboembolic or bleeding events (NCT02894307).