[Surgical treatment of infectious endocarditis]

Fifteen patients with diagnosis of infective endocarditis underwent surgical treatment. They were divided in two groups, the first one in which the infection rested in the patient's own valve, and the second in which the patients already had had valve replacement. Forty percent had a previous history of invasive procedure. Fifty-three percent had been treated with antibiotics prior to admission. Blood cultures were positive in 60%, gram positive germ such as streptococcus and staphylococcus predominated. Echocardiogram showed vegetation in 73% of our patients. The indications for surgery was: lack of response to medical treatment (34%), septic emboli (27%), heart failure (27%), severe renal damage (13%). The mortality rate was 20%. In none of the cases a relapse of the infection was observed.