Abstract

SALMO, Fabián et al. Infectious Endocarditis Associated with Intracardiac Implantable Electronic Devices: Our experience. Rev. argent. cardiol. [online]. 2007, vol.75, n.4, pp.279-282. ISSN 1850-3748.

Introduction Infectious endocarditis is a disease with a high morbi-mortality. In this communication 17 cases of infectious endocarditis (IE) associated to implantable electronic devices, which represented 6% of the endocarditis between 1992 and 2005 are shown. Objective To analize the clinical, evolutive and anatomopathological characteristics of a subgroup of patients with IE carriers of IED. Material and Methods Of a total of 263 patients with IE admitted in our hospital between 1992 and 2005, seventeen with IE associated to DEI were analyzed. IEs associated with IED were classified into: 1) early, occurred within 12 months post surgery, and 2) late, occurred after that period. In all the patients, samples for hemocultures were obtained, culture of all the material drawn during surgery and transthoracic/ transesophagic echocardiograms (EE) were performed. Results Of the 17 patients. 13 (73%) were males; the average age was 60 years and the time between the implant and the diagnosis was 344 days. Sixteen patients developed fever and bacteremia: the predominant germ was Staphylococcus aureus in 70% of the cases. In all cases the system was removed. Mortality was 17%. Conclusions IE associated to IED -that should be suspected always in the absence of another infectious focus- forms a subgroup that with diagnosis and early therapy has a lower mortality compared to the described in total mortality. As with IE without IED, hemocultures and echography are fundamental for the diagnosis.

Keywords : Endocarditis; Pacemaker; Artificial; Staphylococcus aureus; Defibrillators; Implantable.

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