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Aortic Periannular Abscess Missed by Transthoracic Echocardiography: A Case Report
Wenjuan He1, Yudong Peng2, Yan Yi2
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University Jingzhou China.
Clinical Case Reports
|January 20, 2025
Summary
Aortic periannular abscess (PA), a complication of infective endocarditis (IE), can be missed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is crucial for detecting these critical lesions, leading to timely surgical intervention and recovery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Aortic periannular abscess (PA) is a severe complication of infective endocarditis (IE).
- Early diagnosis and treatment are critical for patient outcomes.
- Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) may have limitations in detecting subtle PAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight a case of aortic PA initially missed by TTE.
- To emphasize the diagnostic superiority of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in identifying intracardiac lesions.
- To underscore the importance of advanced imaging in managing IE complications.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a patient presenting with symptoms of IE.
- Initial diagnostic assessment included TTE.
- Definitive diagnosis of aortic PA was established using TEE.
- Surgical intervention was performed.
Main Results:
- The patient presented with fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
- Aortic PA was not identified on initial TTE.
- TEE successfully identified the aortic PA.
- The patient underwent immediate surgery and had a favorable recovery.
Conclusions:
- TEE is essential for detecting small but critical intracardiac lesions, such as aortic PAs, that may be overlooked by TTE.
- Prompt diagnosis and surgical management of aortic PA are vital for successful treatment of IE complications.
- This case highlights the indispensable role of TEE in the comprehensive evaluation of suspected infective endocarditis.
Keywords:
aortic periannular abscesscase reportinfective endocarditissmall vegetationtransesophageal echocardiographytransthoracic echocardiographyMore Related Videos
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