Surgical pathology of native valve endocarditis in 310 specimens from 287 patients (1985-2004).

Background: Few large studies have documented the clinical and pathologic features of native valve endocarditis (NVE) independently from prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE).

Methods: A retrospective study of medical records of all patients undergoing operation for NVE at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN (1985-2004), was performed. Medical records were reviewed from 287 patients for demographics, infecting organism, and comorbidities.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis: clinicopathological correlates in 122 surgical specimens from 116 patients (1985-2004).

Background: Few studies have documented the clinicopathological features of prosthetic valve endocarditis independently of native valve endocarditis.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing cardiac surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis at our institution (1985-2004).

Methods: Medical records and microscopic slides were reviewed from 116 patients for demographics, infecting organisms, comorbidities, and pathologic features.