Mechanical heart valve prosthesis in the pulmonary position without anticoagulation: case report.

A 10-year-old girl underwent tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair and subsequent pulmonary valve replacement with a St. Jude Medical mechanical heart valve prosthesis. Valve replacement was necessary due to right heart failure resulting from pulmonary regurgitation occurring three months after TOF repair. At the age of 25 years, when she became pregnant, routine cardiac evaluation indicated that she had not used oral anticoagulation during the past 15 years. The patient was of rural origin, and of poor socioeconomic status, but is currently in her 15th postoperative year, with neither clinical problems nor any sign of valve failure.