Analysis of postoperative period and early results of surgical treatment of infective endocarditis

Stanisław Ostrowski; Janusz Zasłonka; Ryszard Jaszewski; Michał Wojciechowski; Marcin Barylski; Piotr Okoński; Maciej Banach

doi:10.5603/chp.28958

Vol 6, No 4 (2004)

Published online: 2005-01-26

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Analysis of postoperative period and early results of surgical treatment of infective endocarditis

Stanisław Ostrowski, Janusz Zasłonka, Ryszard Jaszewski, Michał Wojciechowski, Marcin Barylski, Piotr Okoński, Maciej Banach

DOI: 10.5603/chp.28958

Chirurgia Polska 2004;6(4):231-238.

Vol 6, No 4 (2004)

Published online: 2005-01-26

Abstract

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is an important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. In many cases the acute course of the disease makes the medical treatment ineffective especially due to an increasing problem of antibiotic resistance. Thus cardiac surgery still remains an important therapeutic procedure. The aim of this study was the analysis of the postoperative period and early results (up to 2 months) of surgical treatment of IE.
Material and methods: The study concerns 31 consecutive patients subjected to operation due to infective endocarditis in Department of Cardiac Surgery Medical University in Lodz between 2001 and 2002. The criteria of reference for surgery, bacteriology, surgical procedure, antibiotic therapy and early postoperative period (< 60 days) were analyzed.
Results: In the early postoperative period 7 patients (22.6%) died. Out of 24 (77.4%) cured patients 14 (58.3%) were followed-up within 2 months and later, all in good health condition.
Conclusions: 1. Cardiac surgery is the only effective procedure in severe infective endocarditis. 2. The timing of the operation seems essential for the outcome. 3. Well matched antibiotic therapy is indispensable.