Prosthetic valve endocarditis: reviewing the problem

Bacterial endocarditis is a serious complication of valve replacement, with an overall mortality of 59%. Fever, although a constant feature of the condition, is a nonspecific finding; other manifestations may or may not be present and the diagnosis may be overlooked. Any patient with a prosthetic heart valve and bacteremia should be considered to have endocarditis and should be treated accordingly.