Shock Secondary to Aortic Root Abscess With Sterile Blood Culture

Shock caused by an aortic root abscess is a rare phenomenon. Due to its rarity, it is commonly not diagnosed on time to have a favorable prognosis for the patient. Our case involves an 80-year-old male presenting with leukocytosis, lactic acidosis, and hypoglycemia. Initial studies were not fruitful in determining the cause of septic shock. However, an echocardiogram conducted to clarify the finding of a non-ST segment myocardial infraction led to the incidental finding of an aortic root abscess with retrograde flow, suggesting a perforated abscess without endocarditis. Though the patient expired on day seven, our case demonstrates the importance of echocardiography in diagnosing an aortic root abscess in cases with a sterile blood culture and uneventful initial lab investigations.