title: Serial transesophageal echocardiography imaging of a postoperative aortic ring abscess: a case report.
abstract: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was used for the serial observation of a postoperative perivalvular abscess of a prosthetic aortic valve in a 65-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation. Five months later, TEE revealed an aortic ring abscess. Ascending aortic grafting (Bentall method) and translocation of the aortic prosthetic valve were conducted for progressive mechanical valve dysfunction. Postoperative TEE showed flow between the left ventricular outflow tract and the abscess, which was unrestricted 1 month later. Associated clinical improvement suggested that washout of the abscess was a critical factor. This case illustrates the usefulness of TEE for examining postoperative aortic ring abscess.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Sakakibara Heart Institute, Tokyo.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ohtaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitahara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawase
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*