[Surgical approach in bacterial endocarditis of the tricuspid valve in children. Report of 2 cases].

The two techniques usually employed for the surgical treatment of tricuspid valve endocarditis are valve replacement or simple valve excision without valve replacement. A third more conservative procedure consists of resection of the vegetation ("vegetectomy") and leaflet repair, if necessary. Valve excision without valve replacement is described in adult patients especially in addicts of intravenous drugs, with normal ventricular function. Two cases of tricuspid valve endocarditis in children with interventricular communication successfully treated by "vegetectomy" and valve excision without valve replacement are reported. In the first case, surgery was performed during acute infection. Contrarily in the other case there was evidence that cure had been obtained, but still the prosthesis was not implanted due to the excellent hemodynamic status at the moment, and to abbreviate bypass time due to the preoperative conditions of the child. The uncommon approach to these two cases of tricuspid valve endocarditis in childhood motivated this presentation.