[Possibilities of cardiac surgery in the treatment of active valvular infectious endocarditis]

The results of surgical treatment of 142 patients with active valvular infectious endocarditis are reviewed. Hospital mortality was 15.5% (22 patients died). Follow-up covered 6 months to 14 years (with an average of 3.5 years) in 108 patients. Ten (9.3%) patients died over this period, and 11 (10.2%) showed indifferent or poor results of surgery. Within 5 years, total survival rate was 74.4%, including hospital mortality, and good late results were seen in 76.8% of the discharged patients. Surgical treatment of active valvular infectious endocarditis is shown to be a fairly effective method and should be used on a larger scale in clinical practice.