Homograft implant for prosthetic aortic endocarditis with paravalvular abscess in a patient with persistent left superior vena cava.

We present a case report detailing the surgical intervention in a patient with prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis complicated by a paravalvular abscess extending to the mitral-aortic fibrosa. Urgent surgery was required due to severe detachment of the prosthetic aortic valve, marking her third cardiac surgical procedure. Notably, preoperative imaging revealed the presence of a persistent left superior vena cava, a rare vascular anomaly requiring specialized cannulation techniques. The surgical approach involved removal of the infected tissue and prosthetic valve, followed by replacement with a cryopreserved aortic homograft, chosen for its anatomical adaptability.
(© The Author 2024. Published by MMCTS on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)