[Surgical treatment for active infective endocarditis : septic embolization and mycotic aneurysms]

From 1978 through 1995, surgical treatment for active infective endocarditis (native valve) was performed in 17 patients. The indication for operation at the active phase was progressive heart failure in 5 (A-group) and uncontrolled infection in 12 (B-group). Operative findings showed vegetations in all cases, perforations of the valve in 6, rupture of tendon in 2, and annular abscesses in 2. One patient in B-group died 14 days after the operation with postoperative mediastinitis and sepsis. There was no perioperative complications in A-group. In B-group before operations 8 patients (66.7%) has an embolic event before operations. The anatomic sites of embolization were the central nervous system (3 patients), viscera (2 patient) and peripheral arteries (3 patients). And after operation there were 2 mycotic aneurysms of the hepatic artery and the popliteal artery, and 1 pyogenic spondylitis. We conclude that the risk of embolization is high in patients undergoing surgery at active phase of infective endocarditis because of uncontrolled infection ; thus, such patients should be carefully monitored for emboli and mycotic aneurysms.