INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS OF THE PULMONARY VALVE FOLLOWING PULMONARY-ARTERY CATHETERIZATION

The risk of infective endocarditis following pulmonary artery catheter isation in patients with sepsis remains unquantified. Although cathete r-induced endocardial and valvular injury are well recognised, valve i nfection is rare. A case of mixed pulmonary valve endocarditis associa ted with the use of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in a patient wit h multisystem failure following liver trauma is described. This illust rates that diagnosis of infective endocarditis in critically ill patie nts can be difficult because concurrent illness and therapy may mimic or mask the usual presenting signs. The value of transoesophageal echo cardiography in this context is emphasised.