Surgical Treatment of Acute Infective Endocarditis at Tartu University Hospital 1984-1993

Abstract

Acute infective endocarditis was surgically treated in 42 patients (36 male, 6 female), aged 6-66 (mean 43.9) years. The causal microorganism was identified in 26 cases (61.9%) and the portal of entry in 12. The main indication for surgery was cardiac failure. In 23 cases (54.7%) only the aortic valve was affected. The mean NYHA function class was 3.35 preoperatively and 1.85 postoperatively. All typical surgical findings were preopertively recognized at echocardiography. Twenty-six ball-type and 16 tilting disk valves were inserted. The early mortality was 4.7% (2 cases), due to low cardiac output and bleeding. High early postoperative morbidity (23%), possibly resulted from too long interval from onset of disease to surgery, viz. 1–18 (mean 6.3) months. It is concluded that timely operation for acute infective endocarditis is effective.

Key Words:

• Acute infective endocarditis
• surgery