Value of repeated multiplane transesophageal echocardiography in a patient with mitral valve ring abscess and left ventricular pseudoaneurysm.

Mitral valve ring abscess and ventricular pseudoaneurysm are rare complications of infective endocarditis. We describe the case of a 58-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital with sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and in whom tricuspid and mitral valve endocarditis developed within 2 weeks. Despite widespread antibiotic therapy, the endocarditis proceeded to form a mitral valve ring abscess and a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. The diagnosis was set by repeated multiplane transesophageal echocardiography and confirmed by heart surgery.