Aspergillus endocarditis in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ali Rıza Karacı; Buğra Harmandar; Ahmet Şaşmazel; Numan Ali Aydemir; İlker Kemal Yücel; Serap Şimşek

doi:10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2013.6801

Ali Rıza Karacı¹, Buğra Harmandar¹, Ahmet Şaşmazel¹, Numan Ali Aydemir¹, İlker Kemal Yücel², Serap Şimşek³

¹Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
²Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
³Department of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2013.6801

Aspergillus endocarditis is a life-threatening condition. Establishment of the diagnosis and treatment remain highly challenging. Aspergillus endocarditis should be suspected in immunocompromised patients with negative blood cultures and vegetation on echocardiography. Definitive diagnosis is based on tissue histology and culture. The best treatment approach requires aggressive surgical debridement in combination with prolonged antifungal therapy. In this article, we report a 5.5-yearold boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in whom immunosuppression-related Aspergillus endocarditis developed. The patient underwent a Ross operation and excision of a large vegetation in the left ventricular outflow tract. However, he died due to possible intracerebral abscesses during follow-up.

Keywords : Aspergilloma; Aspergillus endocarditis; infective endocarditis; Ross procedure

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