[Surgical treatment of congenital heart disease complicated with infective endocarditis].
OBJECTIVE
To review the experience of surgical treatment and the diagnosis of 41 patients with congenital heart diseases complicated with infective endocarditis.


METHODS
Twenty-three males and 18 females (the mean age 22.6 years) were studied. Twenty-seven patients received bacterial cultivation of blood specimens, and the results of bacterial cultivation of 11 patients were positive. Thirty-four patients underwent cardiac operations after infection was almost controlled, and 7 patients underwent operations during the infective phase. In all the cases, the infected tissues were excised, congenital cardiac was treated, and valvular dysfunctions were corrected.


RESULTS
The surgical treatment results were satisfactory. One patient (2.4%) died during hospitalization.


CONCLUSIONS
In our hospital, the incidence rate of infective endocarditis complicated with congenital heart diseases increases; echocardiography is a valuable tool in diagnosis; blood culture may be negative after previous administration of antibiotics; aggressive surgical treatment should be adopted in patients with congenital heart defects complicated with infective endocarditis.
Jiang
Hai-he
HH
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Chen
Sheng-xi
SX
Luo
Wan-jun
WJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged