1. Infectious endocarditis during pregnancy, problems in the decision-making process: a case report
- Author
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Pompilio Faggiano, Ermanna Chiari, Antonio D'Aloia, Enrico Vizzardi, Roberto Lo Russo, Giuseppe De Cicco, Livio Dei Cas, and Gregoriana Zanini
- Subjects
Medicine(all) ,Pregnancy ,Pediatrics ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Heart disease ,business.industry ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,Pregnancy problems ,General Medicine ,Disease ,medicine.disease ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Mitral valve ,Infective endocarditis ,Case report ,medicine ,Endocarditis ,business - Abstract
Infective endocarditis in pregnancy has a low incidence, often being associated with a previous history of rheumatic or congenital heart disease. In most reports the disease tends to run a subacute course and to appear more frequently in the third trimester of pregnancy. We present the case of a 36-year-old woman with large vegetations on the mitral valve due to infective endocarditis detected at the 32nd week of her first pregnancy. The difficulties in selecting the appropriate management strategy, particularly optimal time and mode of delivery, optimal time and type of valve surgery, are emphasized.
- Published
- 2009