Prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis due to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complicated by subannular abscess

Abstract

Annular abscesses are serious complications of infectious native and prosthetic valve endocarditis. In this patient, we isolated Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a rare cause of subaortic abscess with high monality/morbidity rates although virulent gram-positive cocci, S. Aureus in particular, have been the most commonly isolated agents. We treated this case of endocarditis and the subannular abscess observed I year after the initial operation by aortic root replacement with resternotomy in addition to appropriate antibiotics.