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Gallbladder infarction complicating infective endocarditis

Chadi Dib1, Larry M Baddour

  • 1Department of Medicine, and the Division of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. dib.chadi@mayo.edu

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|February 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Infective endocarditis rarely causes gallbladder issues. This case highlights gallbladder infarction due to embolization, recommending gallbladder removal before valve surgery for better outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Infective endocarditis (IE) is an infection of the heart's inner lining, often affecting heart valves.
  • Systemic embolization is a known complication of IE, but involvement of the gallbladder vasculature is exceptionally rare.

Observation:

  • A case of subacute infective endocarditis presented with embolization to the right hepatic artery.
  • This vascular complication led to gallbladder infarction, a critical event requiring surgical intervention.

Findings:

  • The study details a rare instance of infective endocarditis leading to gallbladder infarction via arterial embolization.
  • Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for patients presenting with these combined conditions.

Implications:

  • Optimal management involves administering appropriate antibiotic therapy before and after cholecystectomy.
  • Gallbladder resection should precede prosthetic valve replacement to minimize the risk of prosthetic valve endocarditis.

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