Case report reveals isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis in a patient post-radiation, indicating challenges in diagnosis and management.
Isolated native pulmonic valve endocarditis is a rare presentation of infective endocarditis. A female patient with a history of stage IV breast cancer requiring anterior chest wall radiation and chemotherapy presented with a 3-month course of constitutional symptoms and was found to have isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis that was medically managed with antibiotics and outpatient follow-up. Isolated native pulmonic valve endocarditis is a rare diagnosis, and pulmonic valve endocarditis can be difficult to appreciate or missed on an echocardiogram. Valvular degeneration can begin with as little as 25 Gy of radiation. Valvular degeneration from chest wall radiation is a rare risk factor in developing infective endocarditis, and careful attention must be paid to the pulmonic valve if endocarditis is being considered.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Mehta et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: