Transesophageal echocardiography improves risk assessment of thrombolysis of prosthetic valve thrombosis: results of the international PRO-TEE registry.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate whether quantitation of thrombus burden with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can help risk-stratify patients undergoing thrombolysis of prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT).

Background: Thrombolytic therapy of PVT has an unpredictable risk of embolization and complications.

Methods: An international registry of patients with suspected PVT undergoing two-dimensional/Doppler and TEE before thrombolysis was established.