Isolated myocardial abscess cavity: An incidental finding on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography

Myocardial abscess is a suppurative infection of myocardium, endocardium, native or prosthetic valves, perivalvular structures and cardiac conduction system. It develops in about 20% of patients with infective endocarditis. Due to avascular and fibrous structures, valvular regions are commonly involved. More precisely, aortic valve (AV) rings area; native or prosthetic valve is usually affected. Occurrence of myocardial abscess within free wall of the left ventricle (LV) without any evidence of infective endocarditis is a rare phenomenon; and infrequently reported in medical literature. We report a case of myocardial abscess cavity within the anterior wall of the LV, in a patient who underwent open heart surgery for severe AV stenosis. This was an incidental intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) finding without any other evidence of infective endocarditis. The stenotic AV was replaced, along with surgical drainage and closure of the cavity. Postoperatively, patient was managed on empirical antibiotics according to infective endocarditis guidelines.