Nocardia nova aortitis after coronary artery bypass surgery.
Cardiac nocardiosis is a rare disease that is nearly always associated with cardiac operation. We report the case of a patient with a 10-month history of intermittent fevers after coronary artery bypass operation who presented with progressive shortness of breath and fever. He was found to have a large aortic aneurysm secondary to Nocardia nova infection likely transmitted during his original bypass operation. This is the first reported case of Nocardia aortitis after coronary bypass operation and serves to alert physicians of this rare but serious postoperative complication.
Liff
David A
DA
Division of Internal Medicine, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA. dliff@learnlink.emory.edu
Kraft
Colleen
C
Pohlel
Khan
K
Wade
Jim
J
Franco-Paredes
Carlos
C
Chen
Edward P
EP
Clements
Stephen
S
Sperling
Laurence
L
D000368:Aged; D001025:Aortitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection