[Brucella endocarditis: role of drug treatment associated with surgery].
Brucella infective endocarditis is an uncommon, but serious complication of brucellosis. The aortic valve is the most commonly affected cardiac valve, and a fearful complication is the formation of aortic root abscess. Due to the characteristics of the infection, medical therapy alone is not sufficient in treating the disease and best results are achieved in combination with surgery. We describe 2 cases of brucella endocarditis involving the aortic valve. Aggressive treatment, with surgery performed during a period of active infection, produced good results in eradication of infection and in preventing fatal complications such as rupture of aortic root abscesses.
Caldarera
I
I
Istituto di Cardiochirurgia, Università degli Studi, Bologna.
Albanese
S
S
Piovaccari
G
G
Ferlito
M
M
Galli
R
R
Squadrini
F
F
Pierangeli
A
A
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline; D012293:Rifampin
Endocardite da brucella: ruolo del trattamento medico associato a quello chirurgico.