Surgical management of infective endocarditis: risk factors affecting early outcome

ObjectiveTo evaluate the risk factors affecting the early outcome of surgical treatment of infective endocarditis (IE).BackgroundIE represents a series of clinical conditions with high in-hospital mortality, so early diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes. Diagnosis depends on constant history and classic manifestations like sustained bacteremia or fungemia or active valvulitis. IE is a medical-surgical disease in which surgical treatment is a part of the therapeutic process rather than a result of the failure of medical treatment.Patients and methodsA prospective cohort study was conducted on 50 consecutive patients diagnosed with definite IE and underwent cardiac surgery after being admitted to the Cardiothoracic Surgical Department, National Heart Institute, Giza, Egypt, during the period from December 2015 till March 2017. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data as potential predictors of mortality were tested.ResultsOur results showed that rheumatic heart disease was the most common underlying cardiac disease. Native valve endocarditis was present in 31 (62%) and prosthetic valve endocarditis in 19 (38%) patients. Mean Euro SCORE II was 5.71%. The hospital mortality was 22%, whereas the 6-month mortality was 10%. Congestive heart failure, embolization, and periannular extension of infection are the most powerful predictors of hospital mortality and also 6-month mortality.ConclusionSurgery for IE continues to be challenging. Euro SCORE II has a good discrimination ability to predict in-hospital mortality in IE surgery. Satisfactory results can be obtained with valve repair in IE.