[Neonatal nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis]

A case of neonatal nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis confirmed at autopsy was identified in the neonatal intensive care unit. The infant suffered from hyaline membrane and disseminated intravascular coagulation. A degenerative verrucal endocarditis at the tricuspid and aortic valves was demonstrated in addition to pulmonary and renal embolism. Vegetations on the heart valves of the newborn infants are rare at necropsy and yet to be diagnosed antemortem. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether high-risk patients should be screened periodically by echocardiographic technique.