Abstract

PIP: The characteristics features of right-sided endocarditis are summarized in this case report of a 30-year-old female admitted with a history of high grade, continuous, fever, breathlessness, and dry cough over a 10-day period. The patient had had an incomplete abortion 15 days earlier for which dilatation and curettage was performed. On examination, the patient was toxic, febrile with a pulse of 118/minute and respiration 36/minute. Her blood pressure was 110/70 mm Hg. There was soft, tender hepatomegaly and soft splenomegely. There also were scattered coarse crepitations over both lungs. The vaginal examination revealed posterior fornicial bogginess and tenderness. Urine and cervical pus swab showed growth of klebsiella. The blood culture was negative. A plan chest X-ray revealed multiple, small, basal, pulmonary infiltrates. Posterior colopuncture revealed a small quantity of clear, yellowish fluid. Abdominopelvic ultrasonography revealed an ill-defined haziness in the parauterine region. The patient was treated with ampicillin, gentamycin, and metronidazole, but she continued to deteriorate. An urgent exploratory laparotomy was performed. The patient died on the 2nd postoperative day. The autopsy findings revealed that the heart was normal in size and shape. The tricuspid valve showed a large vegetation projecting into the ventricle. Microscopic examination revealed polymorphonuclear infiltration with clumps of gram-negative bacillifocal areas of myocarditis also were seen. In lungs the right lower lobe showed a small, hemorrhagic infarct. Both the liver and spleen were congested. Kidneys showed multiple petechiae on the external surface and on the cut section. Endocarditis during pregnancy may be because of perinatal infections, urinary tract infection, or septic thrombophlebitis of pelvi veins. Septic abortion of pelvic infection secondary to IUD also can provide portal of entry for bacteria. The common organisms are streptococcus, staphylococci, and occasionally bacteroides and gram negative bacilli. Clinical suspicion of right-sided endocarditis is justified in any patient with prolonged fever, cough, pleuritic pain, tachycardia, and multiple pulmonary infiltrates. Heart murmurs are usually absent and if present are soft and may be heard at atypical sites.