Key result
An 18-year-old male with Streptococcus agalactiae infective endocarditis of a bicuspid aortic valve developed an acquired Gerbode defect and aortic valve abscess, which was successfully treated with surgical repair.
Why the study?
Aortic valve abscess is a fatal complication of infective endocarditis, and the accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography in detecting such cardiac complications remains low.
Case Report (n=1)
Transesophageal echocardiography is essential for identifying severe complications like acquired Gerbode defect in patients with infective endocarditis and atrioventricular block.
TTE may miss aortic abscess in IE; leaves open optimal imaging sequences in high-risk cases.
Aortic valve abscess is a fatal complication of infective endocarditis. Transthoracic echocardiography is the initial imaging obtained in suspected infective endocarditis. However, its accuracy in detecting cardiac complications remains low, thus should be followed by transesophageal echocardiography if the clinical situation permits. Here, we present a case of a bicuspid aortic valve infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and complicated with aortic valve abscess and acquired Gerbode defect, which appeared as a tricuspid valve vegetation on transthoracic echocardiography.
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Özer et al. (2021) conducted a case report in Infective endocarditis of bicuspid aortic valve with acquired Gerbode defect (n=1). Surgical composite mechanical aortic root replacement and defect repair was evaluated. An 18-year-old male with Streptococcus agalactiae infective endocarditis of a bicuspid aortic valve developed an acquired Gerbode defect and aortic valve abscess, which was successfully treated with surgical repair.
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