An unusual case of disseminated intravascular coagulation

Abstract

The use of cardiac pacemakers is increasing worldwide. Infective endocarditis from a pacemaker lead is a rare, but one of the most severe complications of pacemaker insertion. The diagnosis of pacemaker-related infective endocarditis is usually delayed due to unspecific clinical signs and symptoms at presentation compared to native valve infective endocarditis. Several factors can increase the risk of cardiac pacemaker-related infective endocarditis including cachexia, malignancy, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression and corticosteroid treatment. This case report is about a 70-year-old diabetic male who presented to the emergency department with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), cardiac and liver failure. He was diagnosed with pacemaker infective endocarditis, which was ultimately fatal.

Fatal outcome in a case of infective endocarditis due to delay in diagnosis and the autopsy findings

“…On admission, intensive medical treatment was administered; antibiotics, renal replacement therapy and blood transfusion. He also had disseminated intravascular coagulation, which is one of the complication of infective endocarditis [15]. Cardiac surgery was too risky because of severe coagulopathy.…”