title: Endocarditis abscess of the aortic annulus involving the left ventricular inferior wall and causing a moderate aortic systolic obstruction: diagnosis by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: Abscesses are an important and potentially devastating complication of aortic valve endocarditis. The extension of the infectious process from the aortic valve to surrounding tissue can occur in different directions. This case report describes a 28-year-old man in whom the abscess of the aortic annulus was very large, causing a moderate aortic systolic obstruction, and also involved the left ventricular inferior wall. The diagnosis was provided by a combination of TTE and TEE examination and was confirmed by cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Cardiologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Cardio-Chirurgiche, Toraciche e Respiratorie, Seconda Università, Naples, Italy. dianal.iarussi@unina2.it
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iarussi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pergola
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Renzo
authors.forename: Maria Francoise
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Utili
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calabrò
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*