Staphylococcal aortic valve endocarditis with aortic root to right atrial fistula

Infective endocarditis can be complicated by the development of intra-cardiac shunts. A case of endocarditis secondary to staphylococcal septicaemia is reported where various conduction defects preceded the development of a fistula from the aortic root to the right atrium. Before emergency surgery there was marked worsening of heart failure with the appearance of a new loud murmur throughout diastole.