Fungal endocarditis following cardiac surgery.
This study analysed cases of fungal endocarditis following cardiac surgery encountered in our institute between January 1994 and December 1997. A total of 887 prosthetic valve and 114 homograft valve replacements were performed during the study period. In this group, eight cases of fungal endocarditis (aged 14-53 years) were encountered during the follow-up of which five were caused by candida species and three by aspergillus species. Four cases involved aortic homografts, two mitral prosthesis, one an aortic prosthesis and one was a Goretex patch endocarditis. Seven patients had early endocarditis; all presented with fever and two had embolic manifestations. Seven patients each had positive blood cultures and echocardiographically demonstrable vegetations. Despite management with amphotericin B and early repeat surgical interventions, six had a fatal outcome. One patient is doing well at nine months follow-up after a second valve replacement and one is lost to follow-up.
Verghese
S
S
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chennai.
Mullasari
A
A
Padmaja
P
P
Sudha
P
P
Sapna
M C
MC
Cherian
K M
KM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate