Redo an aortic valve replacement for bioprosthetic valve destruction in a patient developing Streptococcus bacteremia three years after the initial operation.

A 66-year-old man with a bioprosthetic aortic valve developed Streptococcus bacteremia and was treated with antibiotics. He responded well to this therapy, and no evidence of bioprosthetic valve endocarditis (BVE) was detected at this time. One-and-a-half years after the antibiotic therapy for bacteremia, the patient was referred to our department with a diagnosis of acute cardiac failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed torn bioprosthetic valve leaflets with severe aortic regurgitation. A redo aortic valve replacement was undertaken, followed by antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks after the surgery. A histopathological examination of the surgically resected valve suggested a healed infective BVE. No recurrence of bacteremia has been noted since the reoperation.