The infective endocarditis continues to have high mortality, although the sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Despite the use of the new antibiotics, its evaluation continues to be poor, leading the patients to death or incapacity lesions. The surgery must be achieved precociously, to avoid high mortality with clinical treatment alone. This study assesses the rool of the surgery for the patients with infective endocarditis and high risk complications; 63 cardiac surgeries were carried out to treat infective endocarditis complications, in the HSE-RJ, from May, 82 to October 95. Thirty-two patients (62.3%) had previous cardiac lesions or valvular prosthesis. Rheumatic disease was found in 24 (38.1%) patients. Fever, heart murmur and cardiac failure were found in 100% of the cases. The echocardiography revealed the presence of vegetation or valvular destruction in all cases. The cultures of the valve and the blood were positive in 10 (15.6%) and 29 (38.1%) of the cases, respectively. Criteria for surgical treatment were untreatable cardiac insufficiency in 57 (90.5%) cases, systemic embolization in 29 (46.0%) cases and sepsis persistent in 24 (38.1%) cases; 51 mechanical prosthesis and 22 biological prosthesis were implanted. The tricuspid valvulectomy was carried out in 4 patients. The surgical mortality was 17.5% and all patients that survived remained in functional class I or II without infection.
Endocarditis; Endocarditis; Endocarditis; Endocarditis
