Risk Factors and Management of Endocarditis after Mitral Valve Repair
Alexandros N. Karavas MD, Farzan Filsoufi MD, Tomislav Mihaljevic MD, Sary F. Aranki MD, Lawrence H. Cohn MD, John G. Byrne MD

A series of nine consecutive patients who presented with (non-recurrent) mitral valve endocarditis after mitral valve repair within a nine-year period is reported. Systemic infections, prosthetic implants and invasive procedures were identified as risk factors for the endocarditis. Mitral valve replacement was performed in most patients. This was accomplished with acceptable morbidity and mortality, and late follow up indicated an absence of prosthetic valve endocarditis.