Tricuspid valve repair for active infective endocarditis in a drug addict

We report a case of tricuspid valve endocarditis in a drug addict. A 30-year-old man who had a history of intravenous drug abuse was admitted with complaints of high fever and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography showed multiple thromboembolism in the bilateral lungs. Blood culture was positive with methicillin sesitive Staphylococcus aureus, and echocardiography showed severe tricuspid valve regurgitation and vegetations attached to the tricuspid valve. Because infection was uncontrollable, he underwent surgery. We removed a part of posterior leaflet including vegetations, and performed tricuspid valve repair using the autologous pericardium. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. Subsequent echocardiography showed no vegetations and regurgitation of the tricuspid valve. He has remained free from endocarditis for 10 months after surgery.