SURGICAL-MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCARDITIS-INDUCED AORTO-ATRIAL AND AORTOVENTRICULAR FISTULA - A NEW TECHNIQUE

Early onset aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis with annular extensio n of the infectious process remains a highly lethal disease. Destructi on of the annular tissue requires complex techniques for repair. The m ost challenging situation is associated with destruction and fistula f ormation at the left fibrous trigone. We report a technique using the anterior mitral leaflet to repair an aorto-atrial and aorto-ventricula r fistula. This technique places autologous tissue from the anterior l eaflet of the mitral valve against the infected area, and may decrease the risk of reinfection.