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Embolism of coronary, cerebral, and limb arteries resulting from infective endocarditis of a prosthetic aortic valve: a clinical case report

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) involving prosthetic valves is a critical cardiac condition that can lead to complications such as structural heart damage, heart failure, and arterial embolism, with a high associated mortality rate. This report describes an uncommon instance of infective endocarditis of a prosthetic aortic valve leading to multiorgan embolism. CASE PRESENTATION: A 52-year-old male with a history of Bentall surgery and prosthetic aortic valve replacement presented with chest pain and dyspnea. Coronary angiography demonstrated blockage of the distal left anterior descending artery, which was addressed with balloon angioplasty. A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) detected vegetation on the prosthetic valve, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing of blood confirmed infection with Cardiobacterium hominis. During treatment, he experienced acute ischaemia in the right lower limb necessitating thrombectomy, and MRI disclosed numerous tiny infarct foci in the brain. Following a period of six weeks of antibiotic treatment, the patient was discharged in a better condition. However, the valve dysfunction persisted and regular follow-up was required in order to determine whether to perform a further operation. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the risk of multi-organ embolic consequences in prosthetic valve infective endocarditis, highlighting the necessity for prompt identification, antimicrobial treatment, and surgical intervention where warranted.

Source: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders

DOI: 10.1186/s12872-025-05287-2

Authors: Yunxian Chen, Yuhua Hu, Haiyang Liang, Jue Xia, Liangqiu Tang, Shebing Zhang

Institutions: Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College

Language: English

Topic: Infective Endocarditis Diagnosis and Management

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,090