[Infectious endocarditis of the right heart. Apropos of 10 cases]

Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 1991 Mar;84(3):355-9.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Ten cases of right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) were recorded in a retrospective study over a 5 year period (1984-88). In 8 cases, IE complicated known congenital heart disease. One patient was followed up for rhumatic valvular disease and in the remaining case, IE seemed to have occurred on a normal valve. The inclusion criteria were based on the clinical signs: prolonged pyrexia, the finding of a new murmur or a change on cardiac auscultation, and eventually, the occurrence of a complication (7 cases). The commonest complications were right ventricular failure and pulmonary embolism. A portal of entry was found in 5 cases: dental infection in 3 cases, osteomyelitis in 1 case and an abscess on the right leg in 1 case. Blood cultures were positive in 5 cases and grew a staphylococcus aureus on each occasion. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed vegetations in 9 cases. The short-term outcome was satisfactory. There were no fatalities and 5 patients underwent surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Echocardiography, Doppler
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / diagnostic imaging
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / etiology*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / therapy
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / complications
  • Heart Murmurs / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Staphylococcal Infections / complications
  • Staphylococcus aureus