Should I Use Blood Thinners After Ozaki Surgery?
The Ozaki procedure is the only valve surgery that does not require the use of heavy blood thinners after surgery. Normally, long-term or short-term use of heavy blood thinners is mandatory after all valve replacements. This period is lifelong for metal valve replacements and at least 6 months for biologic valve replacements and repairs. After biological valve replacement and valve repair, a 6-month heavy blood thinner regimen should be followed by a lifelong regimen of light blood thinners.
After the Ozaki procedure, mild blood thinners (baby aspirin) are used for the first 6 months and no blood thinners are needed after 6 months. Therefore, it is a method that does not require the use of blood thinners like the natural aortic valve.
Heavy blood thinners (warfarin) are like a double-edged sword. Underuse causes clotting disorders and clot formation and overdose can cause bleeding in any part of the body. Cerebral hemorrhages in particular are very risky and difficult to treat. Therefore, when using heavy blood thinners, the dose in the blood should be measured with continuous blood tests and the dose of the drug should be adjusted. Also, heavy blood thinners such as warfarin interact with foods containing vitamin K and vitamin K intake blocks the effect of warfarin and causes clot formation in the valves.
For these reasons, valve interventions that do not require blood thinners are also factors that increase the comfort of life of patients.
As a result, the use of blood thinners after Ozaki surgery is limited to the use of mild blood thinners for the first 6 months. There is no need to use blood thinners afterwards
