Infective endocarditis following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has recently emerged as a less invasive alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in high risk patients. Although several procedures have been performed worldwide, infective endocarditis (IE) has been reported to be a rare TAVI complication, nevertheless if IE occurs it represents a life-threatening condition and treatment is challenging. TAVI-IE are thus normally treated conservatively by targeted antibiotic therapy with a high reported mortality (40%). Surgical explant represent the definitive strategy but, the intervention is at a high risk (risk of complication 87%, with an in hospital mortality of about 47%). In the present paper, we report the case of a 71-year-old patient affected by an early endocarditis after TAVI (TAVI-IE) treated at our Institution by surgical explant. The case highlights a paradox: if TAVI procedures are indicated over traditional surgical valve replacement in treatment of high surgical risk patients, what should be the best management when TAVI-IE occurs in these same population of patients?

Sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery: incidence and risk factors according to clinical presentation.

The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) after cardiac surgery depends on the definition used. A distinction is generally made between mediastinitis, as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and superficial SSI. Our objective was to decipher these entities in terms of presentation and risk factors. We performed a 7-year single centre analysis of prospective surveillance of patients with cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. SSI was defined as the need for reoperation due to infection. Among 7170 patients, 292 (4.1%) developed SSI, including 145 CDC-defined mediastinitis (CDC-positive SSI, 2.0%) and 147 superficial SSI without associated bloodstream infection (CDC-negative SSI, 2.1%). Median time to reoperation for CDC-negative SSI was 18 days (interquartile range, 14-26) and 16 (interquartile range, 11-24) for CDC-positive SSI (p 0.02). Microorganisms associated with CDC-negative SSI were mainly skin commensals (62/147, 41%) or originated in the digestive tract (62/147, 42%); only six were due to Staphylococcus aureus (4%), while CDC-positive SSI were mostly due to S. aureus (52/145, 36%) and germs from the digestive tract (52/145, 36%). Risk factors for SSI were older age, obesity, chronic obstructive bronchopneumonia, diabetes mellitus, critical preoperative state, postoperative vasopressive support, transfusion or prolonged ventilation and coronary artery bypass grafting, especially if using both internal thoracic arteries in female patients. The number of internal thoracic arteries used and factors affecting wound healing were primarily associated with CDC-negative SSI, whereas comorbidities and perioperative complications were mainly associated with CDC-positive SSI. These 2 entities differed in time to revision surgery, bacteriology and risk factors, suggesting a differing pathophysiology.