[A case report of isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis in a non-addicted adult person without underlying cardiac disease]

Abstract

We report a rare case of isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis. A 46-year-old man who was non-addicted, non-alcoholic and had no underlying cardiac disease was admitted to our hospital for persistent pyrexia. Appropriate intravenous antibiotics therapy was unable to control the repeated infection and destruction of his tricuspid valve progressed. The patient was referred to our surgical division where on intraoperative inspection, tricuspid valve endocarditis was found to involve the entire anterior leaflet and part of the posterior leaflet. Following complete debridement of the infectious lesion, tricuspid valvuloplasty was not considered to be possible. So we performed tricuspid valve replacement using a mechanical valve (CARBOMEDICS 27 mm). His postoperative course was uneventful and he had no ventricular arrhythmia. After prophylactic antibiotic administration for 3 weeks, he was afebrile for 2 weeks without any medication. Thereafter he was discharged and has been free from any complications for over 1 year.