Infective endocarditis as a rare cause for acute limb ischemia

Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs at a rate of approximately 1–7/100 000 people per year, and has a high morbidity and mortality despite advances in antibiotic and surgical treatments.[1,2] Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), in particular, remains an infrequent but serious complication of cardiac valvular replacement.[3] Systemic embolism occurs in 22%–50% of IE patients; emboli may involve major arteries, mostly affecting the central nervous system as well as other organs.[4] However, peripheral arterial emboli that result from bacterial endocarditis may be silent or catastrophic.[5] The present report presents an unusual case of PVE due to Staphylococcus epidermidis causing peripheral arterial embolism and acute lower limb ischemia. Proper emergency management is discussed and conclusions are made regarding indications of conservative and invasive treatment.