[Surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis (author's transl)]

Between 1965 and 1976 40 patients underwent valve replacement for active, infective endocarditis. The overall mortality rate was 32,5 per cent. Six patients died early (within 30 days) and 7 within the following 8 years. 11 patients developed paravalvular leckage. Eight of these 11 patients required reoperation. We suggest that all patients with active infective endocarditis who develop progressive heart failure, intractable sepsis or recurrent embolization should be subject to immediate valve replacement despite higher operative risk.