Pulmonary and Aortic Valve Endocarditis in an Adult Patient With Silent Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Infective endocarditis of a patent arterial duct in an adult, with vegetations extending to the aortic and pulmonary valves

“…To the best of our knowledge, only 3 cases of infective endocarditis with all the lesions described above have previously been reported, including one in which the patent arterial duct was diagnosed intraoperatively. 1 Our echocardiograms uniquely demonstrate all the major vegetations in a single frame.…”

“…Prior to the advent of cardiothoracic surgery, infective endocarditis was the most common cause of death in adults with persistent patency of the arterial duct. 1 Our case is a reminder of these times. To the best of our knowledge, only 3 cases of infective endocarditis with all the lesions described above have previously been reported, including one in which the patent arterial duct was diagnosed intraoperatively.…”

Patent Arterial Duct

“…Subacute bacterial endocarditis/endarteritis has been reported in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with a patent arterial duct; however, the necessity for subacute endocarditis prophylaxis remains to be defined [36][37][38]. Infective endocarditis is an uncommon but life-threatening disease and prevention is preferable to treatment of established infection.…”

New guidelines from the American Heart Association on prevention of infective endocarditis: a shift in paradigms, albeit raising new questions relative to those with congenitally malformed hearts

“…In particular, they did not consider that closure of a persistently patent arterial duct may provide an alternative means of preventing bacterial endoarteritis. 3,4 Such percutaneous closure has proven to be safe and effective. 5,6 Transcatheter occlusion also has a significant advantage over antibiotic prophylaxis, since it could nullify over a lifetime the risk produced by bacteraemia due not only to dental procedures but also from routine daily activities.…”