Cirugía de la endocarditis infecciosa en un centro regional en Chile: Análisis de casos y resultados en el largo plazo

background: surgery for active endocarditis is indicated in cases of congestive heart failure (chf), persistent sepsis, systemic embolization and paravalvular involvement. aim: to assess and report the long term results of surgery in adult patients. patients and methods: retrospective review of clinical records and operative procedures of 32 patients aged 43± 13 years (28 women) subjected to reparative surgery for complications of endocarditis between 1993 to 2005. results: in 25% of cases, endocarditis presented as a prolonged sepsis syndrome and in 31% as a chf or both. the causative bacteria was gram (+) in 53% and blood cultures were negative in 47%. preoperative echocardiography showed vegetations in 56% of cases. an annular abscess, aortic valve rupture and bicuspid valve, was observed in 13% of patients. post operative mortality was due to persistent sepsis and multiorganic dysfunction in 16%. mean long term follow up was 43.8±47.2 months. actuarial survival was 78% at 146 months. conclusion: surgical management of active endocarditis provides a good symptomatic recovery, with an excellent long term actuarial survival (rev méd chile 2008; 136: 31-7)