Prosthetic valve endocarditis secondary to Corynebacterium following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a case report

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an alternative for the treatment of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis for patients at high risk for open surgery. Although experience with TAVI is increasing, few cases of post-TAVI endocarditis are reported. We present a case of an 87-year-old female patient who presented with fever, unresponsive to empiric antibiotics 3 months after a TAVI procedure for severe aortic valve stenosis. After some delay due to three hospitalizations in primary care hospitals, she was transferred to our general intensive care unit where the diagnosis of endocarditis due to Corynebacterium was made. The patient was transferred abroad to a specialized surgical centre of excellence and underwent aortic root and valve replacement with a homograft. After several post-operative complications the patient’s condition improved and is presently satisfactory. Keeping a high index of suspicion when evaluating patients might lead to a favourable outcome if appropriate and early intervention was implemented. Adherence to policies which address infection control and aseptic techniques when performing TAVI might lead to fewer cases of post-TAVI endocarditis.