Surgical treatment of acute infective endocarditis at Tartu University Hospital 1984-1993.

Acute infective endocarditis was surgically treated in 42 patients (36 male, 6 female), aged 6-66 (mean 43.9) years. The causal microorganism was identified in 26 cases (61.9%) and the portal of entry in 12. The main indication for surgery was cardiac failure. In 23 cases (54.7%) only the aortic valve was affected. The mean NYHA function class was 3.35 preoperatively and 1.85 postoperatively. All typical surgical findings were preoperatively recognized at echocardiography. Twenty-six ball-type and 16 tilting disk valves were inserted. The early mortality was 4.7% (2 cases), due to low cardiac output and bleeding. High early postoperative morbidity (23%), possibly resulted from too long interval from onset of disease to surgery, viz. 1-18 (mean 6.3) months. It is concluded that timely operation for acute infective endocarditis is effective.