Surgical management of prosthetic valve endocarditis

Operative mortality in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), who already have severe hemodynamic failure, is extremely high (35% to 84%). Over a period of 10 years, between 1972 and 1981, fourteen consecutive urgent operations were performed for PVE in 12 patients. On thirteen occasions the patients were in severe hemodynamic failure (NYHA Functional Class IV), and five of them had early PVE (within 60 days of previous operation). In all patients at least two of the other recognized risk factors, such as presence of non-streptococcal organisms, detachment of the prosthesis, and myocardial invasion, were present. All of the patients but one were operated upon within 48 hours of their hemodynamic deterioration, and there was one postoperative death (operative mortality 7%). Our results indicate that an acceptable surgical mortality in patients with intractable heart failure due to early and late PVE can be achieved by prompt surgical intervention despite the presence of multiple risk factors.