The indication, surgical pathology and the results of surgical treatment of 28 patients operated on for infectious endocarditis between 1983 and 1994 are here evaluated. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiography and cineangiography. Seventy-five percent of the patients were male and 25% female, with the mean age of 35.2 (14 to 67) years old. Ninety three percent were in functional class III or IV (N Y H A). Elapsed time between diagnosis and surgery was around 4 weeks (1-363 days). A positive hemoculture was present in 25% of the cases and the commonest bacteria found were streptococcus and staphilococcus. The aortic valve was the one usualy affected and vegetations was the usual finding. Surgical treatment consisted of valvuloplasty in 2 cases and valve replacement in 26. Complications were present in 39.28% of the cases, which resulted in the death of five of them (18%). We conclude that, although rare, the infectious endocarditis is a serious disease; if not prevented with adequate antibiotic prophilaxis or treated in due time, serious complications or even death might occur.
Endocarditis, infeccious