A case of Aortic Valve Endocarditis with Splenic Abscess / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 25-year-old man was admitted with high fever and heart murmur. Echocardiogram showed left ventricular chamber dilatation and vegetations attached to the aortic valve. Blood cultures obtained on admission revealed <i>Streptococcus viridans</i>. Despite adequate antibiotic therapy, congestive heart failure progressively worsened and large splenic abscesses were detected by computed tomography. Urgent aortic valve replacement and splenectomy were performed. The aortic valve was bicuspid and markedly destroyed. Pathology of the spleen showed findings consistent with large infarct and abscesses due to septic emboli. The postoperative course was uneventful.