Surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis: A single center experience

This study was undertaken to examine the outcomes of surgery for active infective endocarditis.

Fifty consecutive patients underwent surgery for active infective endocarditis in a tertiary care center between January 2000 and June 2003. Modified Duke Criteria was used to include the patients in the study.

Mean age of the patients was 55.72 years (range 18-89 years). Underlying heart disease was the most common cause of acute infection, accounting for 30 % of all the cases. 16 % patients had a recent dental procedure and 10 % had a recent surgical procedure. The most common infective organism was staphylococcus aureus (24%), followed by streptococcus viridians (20%). The most common indications for surgery were congestive heart failure (CHF) (52%), embolic phenomenon (18%) and septic shock (10%). Most common postoperative complication was respiratory failure (30%) followed by renal failure (24%) pacemaker implantation 22%; stroke 18%, bleeding 16% and GI bleeding 2 %. Seven out of 50 patients died during hospital course that accounts for 14% of the motility rate.

Surgery for endocarditis continues to be challenging and associated with high operative mortality and morbidity. Age, shock, prosthetic valve endocarditis, impaired ventricular function, and recurrent infections adversely affect long-term survival.