Intracardiac foreign body: A rare cause of recurrent fungemia

An intracardiac foreign body causing recurrent fungemia is a rare clinical situation. Clinicians should be that aware of rare sources of sepsis despite a thorough history and examination.

The authors describe a 63 year-old man, with unremarkable past medical history, who presented with a fever for 2 weeks. Blood cultures persistently grew Candida albicans and Streptococcus constellatus. Echocardiogram assessment showed a suspected vegetation over the tricuspid valve. Surgical exploration with median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass revealed a tooth-pick impacted within the right atrium surrounded by vegetation. The authors postulate accidental ingestion of the foreign body and translocation into the right atrium via the esophagus and thoracic cavity.

Surgical removal of symptomatic intracardiac foreign bodies is highly recommended.