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Case Reports
. 2011 Jul;2(3):181-5.
doi: 10.4103/0975-3583.85266.

Eustachian valve endocarditis: Rare case reports and review of literature

Gaurav Alreja  1 , Amir Lotfi
Affiliations
Case Reports

Eustachian valve endocarditis: Rare case reports and review of literature

Gaurav Alreja et al. J Cardiovasc Dis Res. 2011 Jul.

Abstract

Eustachian valve endocarditis (EVE) is a distinctly rare and underdiagnosed entity. We report 2 new cases caused by vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus hominis diagnosed on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Although, 63% of Eustachian valve endocarditis is caused by Staphylococcus aureus, we report the first case of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and first case related to implantable venous access systems. EVE is now seen more commonly in elderly population with diverse microbial cultures and antibiotic sensitivities. TTE is the first modality for investigation of EVE, however a negative TTE does not preclude the diagnosis, as only 88% of cases were diagnosed on TEE.

Keywords: Echocardiography; Eustachian valve; endocarditis; transesophageal; vancomycin.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Transesophageal echocardiography image demonstrating a large vegetation (6 cm) attached to the Eustachian valve (Case 1) VEGE : Vegetation, IVC: Inferior vena cava.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Transesophageal echocardiographic image of vegetation attached to the right ventricular wall (Case 1) Pulmonary ARY : Pulmonary artery.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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