title: Aorta-to-right atrium fistula, an unusual complication of endocarditis.
abstract: Infective endocarditis (IE) remains a serious disease. Aorta-to-right atrium fistula is a rare but very serious complication of IE and predicts a higher mortality. This report describes a 50-year-old man with endocarditis, vegetation, perforation of noncoronary sinus, and formation of two aorta-to-right atrium fistulas with native valves detected by transthoracic echocardiography. This disease is lethal despite developments in cardiac imaging and antibacterial therapy. Early diagnosis, aggressive antibacterial therapy, and surgical treatment may improve the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Miao-yan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dan-dan
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhi-qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001159:Arterio-Arterial Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged