[Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: a report of 41 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics and surgical treatment of infective endocarditis. METHODS: In all patients, surgical treatment was performed including aortic valve replacement in 22, mitral valve replacement in 9, combined aortic and mitral valve replacements in 4, tricuspid valve reconstruction in 3, and pulmonary valve repair in 3. Meanwhile, complicated deformities such as ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD), patient ductus arterisus (PDA), ruptared aneuryem of the aortic sinus and right centricular outflow tract obstruction were corrected. RESULTS: There were 2 early postoperative deaths (an overall hospital mortality of 5%). A follow-up of 3 months to 5 years, with a mean of 3.2 years, documented no recurrent endocarditis and late death. CONCLUSION: Low mortality occurs in the surgical therapy for infective endocarditis. In order to avoid irreversible injury on cardiomyocyte, the operation, which is beneficial to the recovery of heart function, should be performed as early as possible.