[Candida albicans endocarditis after pulmonary artery banding]

Endocarditis is uncommon in infants and is exceptionally related to Candida albicans on pulmonary banding. We report on a case in a 7-month-old infant who had pulmonary artery banding for a ventricular septal defect and who presented with candidal endocarditis. Banding was chosen because of the patient's poor trophic and unstable status, which could be risky for surgery involving extracorporeal circulation. A few weeks after the banding, the patient developed systemic Candida infection, which was treated successfully. At 7 months, cardiac failure appeared without fever or inflammatory signs. Cardiac echography showed that the banding was not protective as well as a hyperechogenic image on the pulmonary bifurcation. The angioscan showed a hypodense thrombus. Emergency surgery was performed consisting of pulmonary artery exploration, thrombectomy, and ventricular septal defect closure. The exploration showed a pulmonary artery perforation caused by the infected pseudoaneurysm and the migration of the banding into the pulmonary artery. The anatomopathologic analysis of the vegetation identified multisensitive Candida albicans. After surgery and prolonged antifungal treatment, progression was satisfactory.