Aortico-left atrial fistula in aortic valve endocarditis.
Aortic root abscess is a well-known complication of aortic valve endocarditis. This report describes the two-dimensional echocardiographic findings in a patient with aortic valve endocarditis whose course was complicated by a posterior aortic root abscess which ruptured into the left atrium creating an aortico-left atrial fistula, which, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported. These findings were confirmed at surgery.
Behnam
R
R
Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis Medical Center.
D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001021:Aortic Valve; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications*; D005402:Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006325:Heart Atria; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications