Surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis: a continued challenge.

Objective: This study was undertaken to examine the outcomes of surgery for active infective endocarditis in a large cohort of patients.

Methods: Three hundred eighty-three consecutive patients underwent surgery for active infective endocarditis. The mean age was 51 +/- 16 years, and 64% were men.

Surgical treatment of paravalvular abscess: long-term results.

Objective: To examine the outcomes of surgery for active infective endocarditis with paravalvular abscess.

Methods: Paravalvular abscess was defined as infective necrosis of the valve annulus that required patch reconstruction before implanting a new valve. Of 383 patients with active infective endocarditis who underwent surgical treatment, 135 (35%) had paravalvular abscess.

Midterm outcomes of tricuspid valve repair versus replacement for organic tricuspid disease.

Background: Organic tricuspid valve (TV) disease is uncommon. Few studies have compared TV repair with replacement in these patients. The current study compared midterm outcomes of TV repair versus replacement in a large group of patients with organic tricuspid disease.

Tricuspid valve repair with an annuloplasty ring results in improved long-term outcomes.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term results of tricuspid valve (TV) repair with or without an annuloplasty ring.

Methods And Results: 702 patients underwent TV repair at our institution (1978 to 2003), of which 493 had, predominantly, a De Vega procedure (no ring) and 209 had an annuloplasty ring (ring). TV pathology was functional (secondary) in 74% of patients.

Predictors of low cardiac output syndrome after isolated aortic valve surgery.

Background: Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), defined as the need for postoperative intraaortic balloon pump or inotropic support for >30 minutes in the intensive care unit, remains a relatively common complication of aortic valve (AV) surgery. The aim of this study is to identify the preoperative predictors of LCOS in patients undergoing isolated AV surgery.

Methods And Results: We conducted a retrospective review of data prospectively entered into an institutional database.