title: Current readings: Status of surgical treatment for endocarditis.
abstract: Valve endocarditis is associated with high morbidity and mortality and requires a thorough evaluation including early surgical consultation to identify patients who may benefit from surgery. We review 5 recent articles that highlight the current debates related to best treatment strategies for valve endocarditis. Recent publications have focused on neurologic risk assessment, timing of surgery, and prognostic factors associated with native and prosthetic valve endocarditis. The initial patient assessment and management is best performed by a multidisciplinary team. Future investigations should focus on identifying surgical candidates early and the outcomes affected by replacement valve choice in both native and prosthetic valve endocarditis.
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Robert C
authors: RC
authors: Neely
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Marzia
authors: M
authors: Leacche
authors: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Jinesh
authors: J
authors: Shah
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: jbyrne@partners.org.
authors: John G
authors: JG
authors: Byrne
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve; D019468:Disease Management; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004617:Embolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000601:surgery*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: endocarditis; multidisciplinary; native valve endocarditis; prosthetic valve endocarditis; valve choice