Surgical Management of Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis of bacterial or fungal origin may arise in either the left or the right heart and can involve both natural and prosthetic valves. The diagnosis is based primarily upon clinical criteria and positive blood cultures, but serial electrocardiograms, fluoroscopy, and two-dimensional echocardiograms may also be helpful. The initial treatment should consist of antibiotic therapy and is itself often adequate in effecting cure. However, careful observation during antibiotic treatment is mandatory, since the development of congestive heart failure due to valvular obstruction or destruction can be an indication for surgical intervention. Other surgical indications include a failure to respond to antibiotic therapy, pulmonary or systemic emboli, evidence of abscess involving the valvular ring (particularly prevalent with prosthetic valve endocarditis), Brucella infection, and the onset of conduction disturbances. The goals of surgical treatment are removal of infective tissue, restoration of valve function, and correction of associated mechanical disorders. The results are surprisingly good, especially for a condition of this severity.