Korean J Infect Dis.
1999 Apr;31(2):157-159.
A Case of Mural Endocarditis Complicated with Pulmonary Embolism and Free Wall Abscess of Right Atrium
- Affiliations
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- 1Division of Infectios Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
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Infective endocarditis usually involves cardiac valves and perivalvular tissue. Sometimes it can penetrate through the free wall of myocardium and form burrowing abscess, usually in patients with congenital heart diseases, such as ventricular septal defect. We experienced a case of mural endocarditis of right atrium in a patient without underlying cardiac diseases. A 55-year old man was admitted due to chest tightness, fever and dyspnea. Streptococcus intermedius grew in 3 pairs of blood culture tests and transesopha- phageal echocardiography revealed a 2 cm-sized vege-tation in the right atrial auricle. Lung ventilation and perfusion scans were checked due to aggravation of dyspnea, which showed pulmonary embolism with high probability. The vegetation penetrated through the free wall of the right atrial auricle and formed a mural abscess, which was removed by surgery and its wall defect repaired with bovine patch.