[Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: application of DNA probe method]

DNA probe method is a new bacteriological method for diagnosis of bacteria. The authors tried to apply the method to diagnosis of bacteremia and treatment of infective endocarditis. We could diagnose the patient's illness as bacteremia with this method even when blood cultures are not positive. We suggest that cardiac surgery should be performed in case bacteria is detected repeatedly with DNA probe method. Therefore it is useful for decision whether cardiac surgery for patients with active infective endocarditis should be done or not.