title: Surgical treatment of acute infective endocarditis at Tartu University Hospital 1984-1993.
abstract: Acute infective endocarditis was surgically treated in 42 patients (36 male, 6 female), aged 6-66 (mean 43.9) years. The causal microorganism was identified in 26 cases (61.9%) and the portal of entry in 12. The main indication for surgery was cardiac failure. In 23 cases (54.7%) only the aortic valve was affected. The mean NYHA function class was 3.35 preoperatively and 1.85 postoperatively. All typical surgical findings were preoperatively recognized at echocardiography. Twenty-six ball-type and 16 tilting disk valves were inserted. The early mortality was 4.7% (2 cases), due to low cardiac output and bleeding. High early postoperative morbidity (23%), possibly resulted from too long interval from onset of disease to surgery, viz. 1-18 (mean 6.3) months. It is concluded that timely operation for acute infective endocarditis is effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, Estonia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuiv
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ress
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004957:Estonia; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000601:surgery; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors