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Updated: Apr 4, 2026

Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
[Surgical management of infective endocarditis with cerebrovascular complications]
Changtian Wang1, Biao Xu1, Lei Zhang1
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Command, Nanjing 210002, China.
Insights
Surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with recent cerebrovascular events can improve outcomes. Comprehensive assessment of surgical indications and risks is crucial before intervention to prevent further neurologic deterioration.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurosurgery
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Active infective endocarditis (IE) poses significant risks, especially in patients with recent cerebrovascular events.
- Cerebrovascular complications in IE patients present unique challenges for surgical management.
- Optimal timing and indications for surgery in this high-risk population remain debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of surgical treatment for active IE in patients who have experienced recent cerebrovascular events.
- To determine the optimal indications and timing for surgical intervention in this patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 26 patients with IE and pre-operative cerebrovascular complications (December 2007-December 2013).
- Included patients with cerebral infarction or hemorrhage, undergoing various valve surgeries (mechanical/bioprosthetic replacement, mitral valve repair).
- Data analyzed included interval from cerebrovascular event to surgery, vegetation characteristics, and post-operative outcomes.
Main Results:
- The mean interval between cerebrovascular event and surgery was 20±4 days, with most patients operated on between 14-21 days.
- Intraoperative findings revealed 33 vegetations, with a mean size of 10±4 mm, predominantly on the mitral valve.
- In-hospital mortality was 7.7% (2 patients), with one late relapse. The remaining patients achieved New York Heart Association class I-II functional status post-operatively.
Conclusions:
- Surgical intervention can be effective in improving outcomes for IE patients with cerebrovascular complications.
- Careful pre-operative assessment of surgical indications and potential risks of neurologic deterioration is essential.
- Individualized treatment strategies considering both cardiac and neurologic status are recommended.
Objective:
To investigate the result of surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis in patients with recent cerebrovascular events, and to evaluate the optimal indication and timing of surgical intervention.
Methods:
The clinical data of 26 patients with cerebrovascular complications before surgery Between December 2007 and December 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 17 male and 9 female patients, aged (42±14) years. Types of disease included single aortic valvular disease (n=8), single mitral valvular disease (n=12), multiple valvular disease (n=5), and aortic valvular disease with ventricular septal defect (n=1). Type of cerebrovascular complication included cerebral infarction (n=25) and cerebral hemorrhage (n=1). Thirty-one valves were involved in 26 patients, mechanical prosthetic valve replacement (n=25), bioprosthetic valve replacement (n=4), and mitral valve repair (n=2).
Results:
The interval between onset of cerebrovascular event and surgical intervention was less than 14 days (n=3), 14 to 21 days (n=13), over 21 days (n=10), and the mean was (20±4) days. There were 33 vegetations found intraoperatively. The mean size of vegetations was (10±4) mm and 19 were found in mitral valve. Two patients died in hospital. One case relapsed after 1 year and underwent reoperation for prosthetic valve endocarditis. The remaining patients recovered with cardiac function of New York Heart Association class I to II after the period of 3 months to 5 years follow-up.
Conclusions:
Appropriate surgery may effectively improve the outcome of IE patients with cerebrovascular complications. The surgical indications and risks of further neurologic deterioration after cardiac surgery should be assessed comprehensively before surgical intervention.
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