Rapid Progression of Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis: From Paraprosthetic Abscesses into Tricuspid Valve Infiltration

Abstract

We present a case of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) in a 49-year-old gentleman with a history of bioprosthetic valve replacement following infective endocarditis of the aortic valve. He was pyrexial on arrival and electrocardiogram showed complete heart block. Transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography revealed evidence of multiple echogenic, hypodensities within the paraprosthetic regions of the aortic bioprosthetic valve, suggestive of paravalvular abscesses, and infiltration into the right ventricle via the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve. Early PVE is often nosocomial and ultimate management include radical debridement and major reconstruction with an expectedly high risk for mortality and post-operative complications.