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Infective endocarditis presenting as an isolated aneurysm of the posterior mitral leaflet

Philippe Unger1, Martine Antoine, Delfyne Hastir

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. philippe.unger@erasme.ulb.ac.be

The Canadian Journal of Cardiology
|December 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of infective endocarditis presented solely as a mitral valve aneurysm. This finding highlights the importance of considering endocarditis in unusual cardiac presentations.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Infective endocarditis typically presents with vegetations on heart valves.
  • Mitral valve aneurysms are uncommon cardiac findings.

Observation:

  • A 64-year-old woman presented with an aneurysm on the posterior mitral leaflet.
  • Blood cultures identified methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • Histology revealed valve wall inflammation, fibrin, and necrosis.

Findings:

  • The mitral aneurysm, without vegetations, was the primary manifestation of endocarditis.
  • The posterior mitral leaflet location is an exceptionally rare site for this condition.

Implications:

  • This case underscores that infective endocarditis can manifest solely as a mitral valve aneurysm.
  • Clinicians should consider endocarditis in the differential diagnosis of isolated mitral aneurysms.
  • Further research may elucidate the pathogenesis of endocarditis-associated mitral aneurysms.

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