[Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis in childhood--report of 3 cases].

This is the case report of 3 surgical patients with infective endocarditis in childhood. Case 1: A 8 year-old boy was admitted with high fever and congestive heart failure. Aureus staphylococci were identified by blood culture. Echocardiogram showed a vegetating mass on the posterior mitral leaflet. This patient was cured by emergency mitral valve replacement during the active phase of infection. Case 2: A 3 year-old girl was admitted with infective endocarditis related to VSD. Viridans streptococci were identified by blood culture. Echocardiogram showed a vegetating mass on the septal tricuspid leaflet. After successful antibiotic therapy, this patient underwent the closure of VSD and tricuspid valvuloplasty. Case 3: A 7 year-old boy was admitted with infective endocarditis related to VSD. Aureus staphylococci were identified with blood culture. Echocardiogram showed a vegetating mass on the anterior tricuspid leaflet and moderate tricuspid regurgitation. After successful antibiotic therapy, this patient underwent the closure of VSD and tricuspid valvuloplasty. We believe that echocardiography plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of infective endocarditis and that tricuspid valvuloplasty is the method of first choice in treatment of the patient with regional tricuspid infective endocarditis.