Systemic embolization is a dreaded complication of transvenous lead extraction (TLE), even without visible vegetations. Preoperative patent foramen ovale evaluation is important, justifying neurological surveillance or consideration of surgical extraction in selected cases. In case of stroke after TLE, mechanical thrombectomy is a successful therapy, and should be readily available.

A 64-year-old woman with a mechanical mitral valve prosthesis developed late-onset Candida endocarditis. Blood cultures grew Candida glabrata and Candida krusei. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated vegetations on the valve. The patient was not medically fit for valve replacement, but her condition was successfully treated with 6 weeks of intravenous caspofungin therapy.

In search of treatment alternatives against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA), an in vitro pharmacodynamic model with simulated endocardial vegetations incorporating protein and a high inoculum was used to simulate daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and vancomycin against the Michigan VRSA strain. Daptomycin and quinupristin-dalfopristin exhibited the greatest bacterial reduc...

Three cases of fungal endocarditis are described, each following a homograft valve replacement for aortic stenosis. The causative organism was C. albicans. The characteristic findings included soft, easily detached vegetations consisting of fungal colonies, aneurysms, embolization of large vessels, and lack of response to current therapeutic measures. The source of the infection is obscure.

Complications of pacemaker implantation include myocardial perforation, venous thrombosis, vegetations of the tricuspid valve or pacing lead, and tricuspid regurgitation. We report a patient presenting with a case of delayed ventricular lead perforation through the right ventricle. The lead was uneventfully extracted under transesophageal echocardiographic observation in the operating room with...

The efficacies of pefloxacin, fosfomycin, and both of these agents in combination against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were assessed in a rat endocarditis model. The combination prevented emergence of the fosfomycin and pefloxacin resistance seen in 36 and 4%, respectively, of animals receiving either agent alone and was more effective than either agent in sterilizing cardiac veg...

We present a new experimental model of Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis in guinea pigs. Permanent aortic valve damage was produced by electrocoagulation after catheterization of the right carotid artery, which allowed avoidance of the intracardiac catheter to produce cardiac vegetations. Our model closely mimics pathological mechanisms of native valve endocarditis.

Umbilical artery catheters allow reliable blood sampling and blood pressure moniNon bacterial endocardial thrombosis in neonates Relationship to persistent fetal circulation J Pediatr 1982;100: 117-122. 2 Menahem S, Robbie MJ, Rajaduran VS Valvar vegetations in the neonate due to fetal endocarditis Int J Cardiology 1991; 32: 103-105. 3 Krous HF Neonatal nonbactenal thrombotic endocarditis Arch ...

This study compared difloxacin administered orally, enoxacin administered orally, and cefazolin administered intramuscularly for the treatment of experimental Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis. Difloxacin significantly reduced bacterial counts of vegetations compared with enoxacin. This study demonstrated that difloxacin was significantly more effective than enoxacin and as effective as cefazo...

Correspondence to: Dr Pablo Robles, Avda Ebanos 44, 3E B Getafe, MA, Spain; [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T he diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) requires the integration of clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data. During the past two decades, various clinical criteria have been proposed and subsequently modified for the diagnosis of IE. In 1...