Mitral valve homograft for mitral valve replacement in acute bacterial endocarditis

Homograft use for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in aortic valve acute bacterial endocarditis (ABE) has gained in popularity, due mainly to the relative resistance of homografts to infection. Recent success with mitral valve homograft use led us to apply homograft mitral valve replacement (MVR) in a patient with severe ABE that was not amenable to valve repair. Following surgery, the patient improved rapidly with normalization of infection parameters and chest radiography, and was discharged home on postoperative day 11. Follow up echocardiography showed good function of the homograft mitral valve with no regurgitation. After four months, the patient had normal valve function, with no evidence of infection. In conclusion, MVR with a mitral valve homograft in the setting of ABE was satisfactory, though patient follow up was relatively short (four months).