Renal infarction with fatal bleeding--an unusual complication of Candida albicans endocarditis

A patient with mitral valve endocarditis due to Candida albicans infection is presented. Because of persistent fever and one episode of transient right-sided hemiparesis, the patient underwent mitral valve replacement. Two weeks after successful valve replacement, the patient suddenly developed acute abdominal pain and died before a surgical intervention could be initiated. Autopsy examination revealed a renal infarction in the lower part of the right kidney with a large rupture of the capsule and retroperitoneal bleeding. A myocotic aneurysm could not be detected. The clinical significance of renal infarction in infective endocarditis is discussed.