Aspergillus Endocarditis of Pulmonary Homograft in a Congenital Heart Disease Patient. Issue 1 (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Karangelis, Dimos; Tzifa, Aphrodite; Mylonas, Konstantinos S.; Gatzoulis, Michael A.; Kavvouras, Charalampos; Mitropoulos, Fotis
• Is Part Of: World journal for pediatric & congenital heart surgery. Volume 13:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 99
• Page End: 101
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Pediatric cardiology -- Periodicals; Congenital heart disease in children -- Periodicals; Heart -- Abnormalities -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Heart -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Heart Defects, Congenital -- surgery -- Periodicals; Cardiac Surgical Procedures -- Periodicals; Child -- Periodicals; Adult -- Periodicals; 618.9212
• DOI: 10.1177/2150135120988640
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2150-1351

Abstract

Aspergillus endocarditis (AE) is a life-threatening condition with mortality rates approximating 80%. Herein, we describe the case of a 19-year-old patient with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary atresia, who underwent seven cardiac surgical procedures in the past. The patient was operated for AE of a previously implanted pulmonary valve homograft associated with septic pulmonary embolism and right heart failure but succumbed to multi-organ failure three months later. To our knowledge, this is one of two reported cases of Aspergillus infection of a pulmonary homograft, indicating the rarity of the disease.