Aortic valve replacement by limited sternotomy for infective endocarditis in a patient with a tracheostomy.

Active infection in the area of the tracheostomy during cardiac surgery presents a high risk. We successfully performed urgent aortic valve replacement for an endocarditis patient with active infection of methicillin resistance staphylococcus aureus in the tracheostoma. To avoid wound infection, a 2nd J-limited sternotomy was used during the operation. Despite malnutrition, the patient showed no wound infection after surgery and recovered smoothly.