Infective endocarditis of the tricuspid valve caused by Staphylococcus aureus after ear piercing

Abstract

Right-sided endocarditis usually involves the tricuspid valve, predominantly in intravenous drug abusers, in patients with anti-arrhythmic devices or central venous lines, and in patients with skin or genitourinary infection and with congenital heart disease 1. We describe a case of a 15-y-old patient, who had tricuspid valve endocarditis in a morphologically normal valve after having his ear pierced, without history of parenteral drug addiction and vascular catheter use. Progression of vegetation size and development of tricuspid valve regurgitation in spite of the intensive antibiotic treatment eventually required surgical intervention.