Endocarditis in Children and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

Infective endocarditis in patients with congenital heart disease has many clinical facets that make its diagnosis and management unique from other patient populations. Shunt-related defects, conduits, and percutaneous pulmonary stents and devices, elements not commonly seen in the noncongenital heart disease adult patient, predominate as potential substrates for infection. Valve preservation, when possible, is a key principle in pediatric patients, and valve repair is highly successful in these children with low rates of recurrent infection. Overall, surgery has great efficacy in the management of pediatric infective endocarditis with outcomes that exceed those observed in adults.