Infective endocarditis is most often seen affecting the left side of the heart, with the pulmonary valve being the least frequently involved valve. The most common organisms responsible for infective endocarditis are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus viridans. Here we report a rare case of pulmonary valve endocarditis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, a rare pathogen for this setting. The ...

A42-year-old man was referred to our hospital for evaluation of systolic and diastolic murmurs at the left sternal border. Transthoracic 2D echocardiography revealed a quadricuspid pulmonary valve (Figure 1A) and a bicuspid aortic valve (Figure 1B). Transvalvular flow velocities at the pulmonary and aortic valves were 1.8 m/s and 1.7 m/s, respectively, suggesting mild pulmonary stenosis. Additi...

Right sided endocarditis usually involves the tricuspid valve, predominantly in intravenous drug users. It is also occasionally acquired in hospital as a result of contaminated intravascular devices. Isolated infection of the pulmonary valve is rarely seen. A case of community acquired Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary valve endocarditis that caused diagnostic confusion is reported. This infectio...

Transluminal balloon valvuloplasty was used to treat congenital pulmonary valve stenosis in 20 patients. Follow-up cardiac catheterization was performed in 11 patients at intervals of from 2 to 12 months after the procedure. Peak systolic pressure gradient across the pulmonic valve decreased from 68 +/- 27 to 23 +/- 5 mm Hg (p less than .001) after valvuloplasty. There were no complications. Fo...

BACKGROUND Transcutaneous pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) has become an alternative to heart surgery for patients after previous right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) or pulmonary artery (PA) surgical interventions. The objective was to present immediate and long-term outcomes of trans¬cutaneous pulmonary valve replacement. METHODS Between 06/2009 and 06/2016, 46 patients underwent TPVR. ...

Balloon dilatation in infants with severe pulmonary valve stenosis may not be a straightforward procedure once the arterial duct has closed. Balloon dilatation was attempted in three neonates and infants. In an 11 week old infant hypotension and bradycardia developed shortly after a 5 French end hole catheter was passed through the severely stenosed pulmonary valve. An emergency Waterston shunt...

The feasibility of using balloon dilatation to relieve stenosis caused by dysplasia of the pulmonary valve was assessed in seven patients (five female, mean age two years) with angiographically confirmed dysplasia who were identified among 38 patients with pulmonary valve stenosis selected for balloon dilatation over a two year period. The clinical features in three patients were consistent wit...

We report a case of severe hemolysis and pulmonary valve insufficiency (PI) following right ventricular support using a paracorporeal pneumatic pump (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA). We speculate that the high velocity jet of blood emanating from the outflow cannula caused turbulence above the pulmonary valve, leading to PI and hemolysis. Despite the growing number of implanted ventricular assist de...

Congenital heart lesions involving the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) are a common problem in paediatric cardiology. These patients need multiple surgical interventions in the form of valved conduits over a lifetime. Surgical re-valvulation was the standard treatment option until the introduction of percutaneous pulmonary valves over a decade ago. These valves can be used to prolong the...