Invasive Coronary Angiography in Patients with Native or Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis

Tim Berger1, Dominik Dees2, Matthias Siepe1

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Freiburg, Heart Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Insights

Preoperative invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is safe for patients with infective aortic valve endocarditis, revealing significant coronary artery disease (CAD) and lowering in-hospital mortality. This procedure offers valuable insights for surgical planning.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is crucial for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) but is typically contraindicated in patients with infective aortic valve endocarditis.
  • This study investigates the safety and clinical utility of preoperative ICA in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the risks and benefits of performing preoperative ICA in patients with infective aortic valve endocarditis before aortic valve replacement.
  • To determine the incidence of CAD and its impact on surgical management and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analysis of 232 patients treated for infective aortic valve endocarditis between March 2008 and September 2020.
  • Comparison of 67 patients who underwent preoperative ICA with those who did not, analyzing baseline characteristics, echocardiograms, ICA data, intraoperative details, and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

  • ICA identified significant CAD in 54% of patients, including one- (28%), two- (9%), and three-vessel disease (16%).
  • No adverse events, including thromboembolic complications like stroke, were observed following preoperative ICA.
  • Patients with preoperative ICA had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (12% vs. 18%) but a higher incidence of postoperative bleeding (27% vs. 13%). New-onset stroke occurred in 5% of both groups.

Conclusions:

  • Preoperative ICA is a safe procedure in selected patients with infective aortic valve endocarditis when performed with a multidisciplinary team approach.
  • ICA provides crucial information for surgical planning, leading to improved clinical outcomes, including reduced mortality, despite a potential increase in bleeding complications.
Abstract

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