Aspergillus aortitis after cardiac surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of Aspergillus aortitis in a small series of consecutive patients.


BACKGROUND
Aspergillus infection of the ascending aorta after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery has rarely been reported and has always resulted in death.


METHODS
Aspergillus aortitis was confirmed by pathologic and microbiologic analysis in eight men (61 +/- 8 years) of 9,375 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 1975 and 2000.


RESULTS
Patients presented with Aspergillus aortitis after aortic valve replacement (n = 5), coronary revascularization (n = 2), or both (n = 1). Initial symptoms appeared between the immediate postoperative period and up to two years after surgery. All patients had prolonged fever. Ante-mortem diagnosis was established in only three patients for whom transthoracic echocardiography was suggestive of aortic pseudoaneurysm and was confirmed by thoracic computed tomography or aortography. All patients had negative peripheral blood cultures. Seven patients died at short-term follow-up, and the one surviving patient was promptly treated by surgery and antifungal drugs. Pathologic examination confirmed Aspergillus aortitis with multi-organ dissemination without heart involvement in all patients except for two, in whom aortic valve endocarditis was found. Fungal cultures confirmed the presence of Aspergillus fumigatus in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspergillus aortitis is typically found after aortic valve or coronary surgery. It commonly leads to lethal multi-organ dissemination without involvement of the intracardiac structure. This entity should be considered in patients with persistent fever and negative blood cultures after open-heart surgery involving significant aortic wall damage, irrespective of the postoperative period.
Sanchez-Recalde
Angel
A
Unidad Médico-Quirúrgica de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
Maté
Isabel
I
Merino
José L
JL
Simon
Raquel S
RS
Sobrino
José A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001011:Aorta / Q000382:microbiology; D001025:Aortitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001027:Aortography; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D020878:Device Removal / Q000379:methods; D004452:Echocardiography; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000935:Antifungal Agents