Project description:Intravenous drug use has increased substantially over the past decade, with heroin abuse more than doubling. Injection drug use-related infective endocarditis hospitalizations have similarly increased over the same period. Right-sided infective endocarditis is strongly associated with intravenous drug use, and 90% of right-sided endocarditis involves the tricuspid valve. During the period of the opioid epidemic, tricuspid-related endocarditis rates have increased, while the incidence of surgery for tricuspid endocarditis has increased as much as five-fold. Within this context, optimizing surgical technique for valve repair is increasingly important. In this report, we examine the indications for tricuspid valve surgery for endocarditis, describe specific techniques for tricuspid valve leaflet repair and augmentation, and assess postoperative care and surgical outcomes after both tricuspid valve repair and replacement for infective endocarditis.
Project description:A 29-year-old male, with chronic atopic dermatitis (AD), presented with a 2-week history of fatigue, pyrexia and weight loss. Examination showed eczematous patches with lichenified papules, erosions on the right shin and a new murmur. Blood cultures isolated methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Transthoracic echocardiography showed vegetation on the tricuspid valve (TV) that was adherent to the septal leaflet. He was treated for infective endocarditis, attributed to poorly controlled AD, with intravenous Flucloxacillin. Due to ongoing sepsis and pulmonary septic emboli, Clindamycin was added. He underwent TV repair; the septal leaflet was excised, and the remnant two leaflets were brought together with a ring. His patent foramen ovale was closed. His skin was treated with topical steroids and emollients. Right-sided endocarditis of an intact TV is uncommon in a non-intravenous drug user. Therefore, this novel case portrays the importance of aggressively managing AD as it is a risk factor for significant systemic infections.
Project description:Background: Mitral valve repair is preferred in patients undergoing surgical treatment for infective endocarditis (IE) of the native mitral valve, however, radical resection of infected tissue and patch-plasty might potentially lead to low or non-durable repair. We aimed to compare a limited-resection and non-patch technique with the classic radical-resection technique. Methods: Eligible candidates were patients with definitive IE of the native mitral valve undergoing surgery between January 2013 and December 2018. Patients were classified according to the surgical strategy into two groups: limited- versus radical-resection strategy. Propensity score matching was used. Endpoints were repair rate, all-cause mortality (30-day and 2-year), re-endocarditis and reoperation at q-year follow-up. Results: After propensity score matching, 90 patients were included. Follow-up was 100% complete. Mitral valve repair rate was 84% in the limited-resection versus 18% in the radical-resection strategy, p < 0.001. The 30-day and 2-year mortality were 20% versus 13% (p = 0.396) and 33% versus 27% (p = 0.490) in the limited-resection versus radical-resection strategy, respectively. The incidence of re-endocarditis during the 2-year follow-up was 4% in the limited-resection strategy versus 9% in the radical-resection strategy, p = 0.677. Three patients in the limited-resection strategy underwent reoperation of the mitral valve, while there were none in the radical-resection strategy (p = 0.242). Conclusions: Although mortality in patients with IE of the native mitral valve remains high, the limited-resection and non-patch surgical strategy is associated with a significantly higher repair rates with comparable 30-day and mid-term mortality, risk of re-endocarditis and re-operation compared to the radical-resection strategy.
Project description:A 2-year-old Boxer with a history of subaortic stenosis and immunosuppressant therapy developed aortic valve infective endocarditis. On echocardiographic examination with simultaneous electrocardiographic tracing, multiple uncommon periannular complications of the aortic valve endocarditis were found, including aorto-cavitary fistula with diastolic left-to-right shunt, tricuspid valve endocarditis, and third-degree atrioventricular block. Necropsy confirmed the above echocardiographic findings. Although aortic valve endocarditis represents a well-known disease entity in dogs, the dynamic nature of this condition may allow development of complex and uncommon echocardiographic features.
Project description:A 35-year-old man with a history of active intravenous drug use presented with infective endocarditis and tricuspid valve vegetations. He was a poor candidate for open heart surgery as a result of persistent bacteremia and comorbidities, and he underwent successful aspiration therapy with a mechanical thrombectomy device for the vegetation. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.) Central Illustration
Project description:BackgroundRight-sided tricuspid valve (TV) endocarditis can be difficult to identify and may be under-recognized in the absence of traditional risk factors. While generally identified with aortic valve pathology, infective endocarditis that extends beyond the leaflets of the TV have been reported to cause conduction disease.Case summaryWe present the case of a 63-year-old patient who presented with haemodynamically unstable complete heart block requiring temporary venous pacemaker support. Despite the absence of traditional risk factors or significant valvular disease on transthoracic echocardiogram, she was found to be persistently bacteraemic and subsequent transoesophageal echocardiogram identified large vegetation on the septal leaflet of the TV. Conduction disease was noted to reverse with antibiotic therapy and resolution of bacteraemia.DiscussionAlthough rare, right-sided endocarditis involving the triangle of Koch may present with conduction disease due to local inflammation and mechanical compression. Conduction disease associated with right-sided disease appears to be readily reversible with medical therapy and temporary device support may be appropriate in the acute setting.
Project description:Neisseria elongata, a common oral bacterium, has been recognized as a cause of infections such as infective endocarditis, septicemia, and osteomyelitis. Neisseria-induced infective endocarditis, although infrequently reported, typically arises after dental procedures. Without antibiotic therapy, its complications can be severe. We report the case of a 27-year-old man who presented with fever, severe dyspnea, and a leg abscess from cellulitis. An echocardiogram showed a vegetation-like echogenic structure on the septal leaflet of the patient's native tricuspid valve, and an insignificant Gerbode defect. Three blood cultures grew gram-negative, antibiotic-susceptible coccobacilli that were confirmed to be N. elongata. Subsequent DNA sequencing conclusively isolated N. elongata subsp nitroreducens as the organism responsible for the infective endocarditis. The patient recovered after 21 days of antibiotic therapy. In addition to the patient's unusual case, we discuss the nature and isolation of N. elongata and its subspecies.