Cardiac complications of infective endocarditis.

Cardiac complications caused by infective endocarditis (IE) are varied and frequently life-threatening. This article focuses on new data related to several complications, and summarizes the indications, timing, and type of valve surgery recommended in the management of IE. Several recent studies using propensity score techniques have resulted in disparate conclusions and underscore the need for randomized prospective studies to better address whether and when surgery should be performed in patients with IE. Mitral valve repair is an exciting new development in surgical methodology and probably will have increased application over the next two decades. Excellent reviews related to periannular abscesses, fistulae, acute coronary syndrome, and pericarditis have been published recently and are also summarized.