[Cardiac echo-Doppler in the diagnosis and surveillance of the course of acute endocarditis]

Abstract

Infectious endocarditis is still currently a problem. Its frequency is not decreasing and new etiologies have developed, which are often responsible for acute endocarditis, resistant to hospital bacteria. The cardiac Doppler has a role in the positive diagnosis of endocarditis, especially on native valves. This examination permits an accurate evaluation of valvular and perivalvular lesions (abscess, mycotic aneurysms) and their repercussions on the ventricle. Studies in this last decade, have emphasized that the presence of vegetations is a factor of gravity. The Doppler permits an "active" monitoring in high risk forms: endocarditis of the aortic orifice, endocarditis with perivalvular abscess, endocarditis occurring on a prosthetic valve.