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Early fungal endocarditis in homograft recipients
P A Fedalen1, C A Fisher, B A Todd
1Division of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Temple University Health Sciences Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
Abstract:
Retrospective analysis of 200 homograft valve recipients at our institution revealed two cases of fungal endocarditis. Pathogenesis appears to be related to either recipient seeding in one elderly immunocompromised patient or a previously contaminated donor valve implanted in an otherwise healthy recipient. Therefore, our experience underscores the need for both meticulous prevention of fungal infection preoperatively in the recipient and elimination of previously contaminated homograft valves from the donor pool.
Insights
Fungal endocarditis is a rare but serious complication following homograft valve replacement. Prevention strategies must address both recipient-related factors and donor valve contamination to minimize risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplantation
Background:
- Homograft valve replacement is a common procedure for valvular heart disease.
- Fungal endocarditis is a rare but life-threatening complication after valve surgery.
- Identifying risk factors for fungal endocarditis is crucial for patient outcomes.