title: Tricuspid valve endocarditis following central venous cannulation: The increasing problem of catheter related infection.
abstract: A central venous catheter (CVC) is inserted for measurement of haemodynamic variables, delivery of nutritional supplements and drugs and access for haemodialysis and haemofiltration. Catheterization and maintenance are common practices and there is more to the technique than routine placement as evident when a procedure-related complication occurs. More than 15% of the patients who receive CVC placement have some complications and infectious endocarditis involving the tricuspid valve is a rare and serious complication with high morbidity and mortality. Overenthusiastic and deep insertion of the guide wire and forceful injection through the CVC may lead to injury of the tricuspid valve and predispose to bacterial deposition and endocarditis. We report a case of tricuspid valve endocarditis, probably secondary to injury of the anterior tricuspid leaflet by the guide wire or the CVC that required open heart surgery with vegetectomy and repair of the tricuspid valve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Institute for Cardiac Treatment and Research, Southern Railway Headquarter Hospital, Perambur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Suresh Babu
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Jagannathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raghavan
keywords: Central venous catheter; complications; endocarditis; infection; intensive care