A rare cause of late infective endocarditis after heart surgery.
A case is reported of a male patient with rheumatic mitral valve disease and open mitral valve commissurotomy, performed 13 years before, who had fever and multiple septic embolic events. Serial blood cultures were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated the presence of an irregular, round, very mobile mass inserted in the fossa ovalis region of the interatrial septum. After resolution of the infectious process, surgery was performed. The structure previously described corresponded to a elongated suture material covered by fibrin. It had been secondarily infected and it was the cause of the entire process.
Branco
L
L
Department of Cardiology, Santa Marta Hospital, Lisbon Portugal.
Pitta
M L
ML
Galrinho
A
A
Real
H C
HC
da Cruz
A G
AG
Conceição
J
J
Morgado
V
V
Gonçalves
J M
JM
Antunes
A M
AM
D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000601:surgery; D013537:Sutures / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors