Excessive Surgical Adhesive Mimicking Aortic Root Abscess: A Case Report.
Natalie A Silverton1, David A Bull, Candice K Morrissey
1From the Departments of *Anesthesiology; and †Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
A & a Case Reports
|July 14, 2017
Summary
Aortic root abscess, a serious complication of endocarditis, was suspected after valve replacement. Transesophageal echocardiography suggested abscess, but surgery revealed excess adhesive, not infection.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Complications
Background:
- Aortic root abscess is a severe complication of infective endocarditis, often leading to high morbidity and mortality.
- Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the gold standard for diagnosing aortic root abscess due to its high sensitivity and specificity.
Observation:
- A case is presented of a suspected aortic root abscess one week post-mechanical aortic valve replacement for native valve endocarditis.
- TEE indicated an aortic root abscess, guiding surgical planning.
Findings:
- Surgical inspection revealed that the suspected paravalvular fluid collection was excessive surgical adhesive, not an abscess.
- This highlights a potential diagnostic pitfall in the postoperative period.
Implications:
- The findings emphasize the importance of considering non-infectious causes, such as surgical materials, in the differential diagnosis of paravalvular collections after aortic valve surgery.
- This case underscores the need for careful interpretation of imaging in the context of clinical and surgical findings to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions.
