Endocarditis surgical treatment


 * Associate Editors-in-Chief:

==Principles of Surgical Treatment of Endocarditis ==


 * Excise all infected valve tissue
 * Drain and debride abscess cavities
 * Repair or replace damaged valves
 * Repair associated pathology such as septal defect, fistulas

Aortic Valve - Surgical Options
If the infection limited is limited to the leaflets, then the aortic valve should be replaced. If the infection extends to the anulus or beyond, then the infected tissues should be debrided. Any abscesses should be drained and the aortic root should be replaced.

Atrioventricular Valve - Surgical Options
If the infection is limited to the leaflets, then the vegetations should be excised, perforations should be repaired, and a reduction annuloplasty should be performed. If the infection extends to the anulus or beyond, then a valve replacement should be performed, and abscesses should be debrided and obliterated. In some cases the tricuspid valve may be excised.

Surgical Outcomes
Operative mortality is 15 - 20%. The development of an infection of a prosthetic valve during operation for native valve endocarditis is 4%, it is higher (12 - 16%) if active endocarditis is present at the time of the surgery. Late survival at 5 years for native valve endocarditis is 70 - 80% and for prosthetic valve endocarditis is 50 - 80%.