Published in

Elsevier, Heart & Lung: The Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care, 4(43), p. 344-346

DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2014.04.013

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Fatal rupture of aortic root abscess following native aortic valve enterococcal endocarditis

Journal article published in 2014 by Nima Razii, Lena M. Izzat
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

We describe the case of a 66-year-old male, who was referred to our cardiology department with suspected endocarditis, following an enterococcal bacteremia. Transesophageal echocardiography showed vegetations on a native trileaflet aortic valve. Having been prescribed intravenous amoxicillin and gentamicin, to which he initially responded, the patient became increasingly breathless during the third week of treatment. Although lung fields were clear and there were no changes to a pre-existing heart murmur on physical examination, transthoracic echocardiography and Doppler color flow imaging revealed that an aortic root abscess had ruptured and formed a left-to-right shunt. The patient was transferred to a specialist cardiac center, but was unsuitable for major surgery and died a week later. We discuss this rare and devastating complication of infective endocarditis.