RESUMO
The publisher regrets that this was an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published in Eur. J. Echocardiogr., 4 (2003) 221-222, . The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.
RESUMO
Intra-cardiac fistulas are rarely seen and they are estimated to account for <1% of all cases of infective endocarditis. Fistulization of paravalvular abscesses has been found in 6% to 9% of cases. This is a report of an unusual communication between the abscess region in the aortic root and the left atrium. A 44-year-old patient diagnosed with infective endocarditis had continuous fevers despite antibiotic therapy. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed multiple vegetations on aortic valve, fistulization of an aortic root abscess to the left atrium and mitral regurgitation and moderate aortic regurgitation. At surgery, multiple vegetations on the aortic valve and a large abscess cavity establishing direct communication between aortic root and the left atrial cavity through a fistulous tract were discovered. This experience demonstrates the improved sensitivity and specificity of transoesophageal echocardiography in defining periannular extension of infective endocarditis.