Operative considerations in active native valve infective endocarditis.

During a 12 year period from 1974 to 1986, 38 patients with native valve infective endocarditis were treated surgically. All patients were in the active phase of infection at the time of surgery. Surgical intervention was performed as an extreme emergency in 21 patients, 10 patients were operated on the next day, and 7 patients underwent elective surgery within 3-4 days. Indications for operation were heart failure alone in 52% of patients, heart failure accompanied by sepsis and emboli in 42% and uncontrolled sepsis in the remaining 6% of patients. The hospital and late mortality was 10.5% and 5.2% respectively. Recurrence of infection and paravalvular regurgitation was only seen in one case. Thus, we believe that the risk of surgical intervention for infective endocarditis can be minimised if operative treatment is carried out early, before advanced haemodynamic and irrevocable valvular deterioration ensues.