Ruptured myocardial abscess causing left ventricle to pulmonary artery communication in an infant with community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2011 Aug;135(8):1057-60. doi: 10.5858/2010-0144-CRR1.

Abstract

Myocardial abscess perforation is an extremely rare complication of infective endocarditis. We present a case of a 12-month-old infant who developed community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia after an incision and drainage of a skin abscess. He subsequently developed septic emboli to the brain and lungs, and a myocardial cavity in the outlet portion of the interventricular septum. The cavity ruptured 4 days after diagnosis and created a left ventricle to pulmonary artery fistulous communication. The patient died secondary to embolic complications to the brain. We are not aware of any other cases of myocardial abscess rupture in this location of the heart, in a patient of this age, or due to infection with community-associated methicillin-resistant S aureus .

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abscess / microbiology
  • Abscess / pathology*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / pathology*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Fistula / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Myocarditis / microbiology
  • Myocarditis / pathology*
  • Pulmonary Artery / pathology*
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / complications
  • Staphylococcal Infections / pathology*