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Ann Thorac Surg 2002;73:1813-1816
© 2002 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original article: cardiovascular

Endocarditis after mitral valve repair

^a Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
^b Department of Cardiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
^c Department of Infectious Disease, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
^d Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Accepted for publication February 17, 2002.

* Address reprint requests to Dr Gillinov, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation/F24, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
e-mail: gillinom{at}ccf.org

Background. Native valve endocarditis is frequently managed with antibiotics alone, but prosthetic valve endocarditis usually requires an early operation. What is the best treatment of endocarditis after mitral valve repair?

Methods. From 1986 to 2000, 22 patients were treated for endocarditis affecting a previously repaired mitral valve. Causes of mitral valve dysfunction that led to repair were degenerative (11 patients), ischemic (5 patients), endocarditic (3 patients), rheumatic (2 patients), and functional (1 patient). Endocarditis was active in 21 patients and healed in 1. Interval from initial mitral valve repair to onset of endocarditis ranged from 1 week to 10.3 years (median, 6 months). Pathology included leaflet vegetation (15), annuloplasty vegetation (4), leaflet perforation (5), and abscess (3). Mean follow-up was 3.9 ± 3.3 years.

Results. Fifteen patients underwent repeat mitral valve operations with freedom from mitral valve reoperation of 65%, 41%, and 26% at 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years after onset of endocarditis. After a high early hazard, risk of reoperation fell to 10.8% per year. Seven patients, all with a leaflet vegetation, were treated with antibiotics alone. Antibiotics eradicated infection in all; however all had mitral regurgitation 2+ to 4+. Survival was 96%, 74%, and 68% at 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years. Endocarditis recurred in 1 patient (92% free of event).

Conclusions. Most patients that have endocarditis develop after mitral valve repair require reoperation. However if infection is limited to a leaflet, early reoperation may be unnecessary because antibiotics alone can eradicate infection.

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