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Aspergillus pacemaker endocarditis presenting as pulmonary embolism
Author(s) -
MATEOSCOLINO A.,
GOLPE R.,
GONZÁLEZRODRÍGUEZ A.,
GONZÁLEZJUANATEY C.,
LEGARRA J. J.,
BLANCO M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2005.00691.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocarditis , pulmonary embolism , aspergillus , cardiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Pacemaker endocarditis (PME) is a rare but severe complication of endocardial pacemaker implantation. Fungal PME is extremely uncommon. The case of a 66‐year‐old female patient who was diagnosed as having a pulmonary embolus based upon the patient's clinical presentation and computed tomography angiography findings is presented. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a huge vegetation attached to the pacemaker wire. The pacemaker system was removed surgically during cardiovascular bypass. The vegetation was cultured, the results of which were positive for Aspergillus spp. No risk factors for Aspergillus infection were found in the patient. She was treated with liposomal amphotericin B for 3 weeks, followed by itraconazole for 40 weeks. At 1 year later, the patient remains asymptomatic.