[Staphylococcus epidermidis as a rare cause of sepsis]

Implanted synthetic materials have to be included into the differential diagnosis of sepsis. This paper reports on a case of sepsis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis in connection with a Spitz-Holter shunt. The interval between the implantation and the recognition of the endoplastitis took 4 years. The attempt of an antibiotic sanitation had no results. The fitness for work could be restored by removal of the shunt and reimplantation.