title: [Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: the Essen experiences].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Instead of immediate diagnosis and effective antibiotic treatment morbidity and mortality in infective endocarditis remains high. If the infection cannot be controlled or the disease progresses irreversible destruction of cardiac structures results.
  In this case surgical therapy should be considered immediately. The outcome of surgical repair is not depending on the implanted prosthesis, but solely on timing of the operation.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Thorax- und kardiovaskuläre Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Essen. ulf.herold@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piotrowski
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van de Wal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naber
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erbel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jakob
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000601:surgery*; D004698:Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors