Doctors at Mayo Clinic developed a new way to treat stubborn heart infections called right-sided infective endocarditis using a catheter, avoiding the need for surgery. If not treated quickly, these infections can grow and harm heart valves and other organs.
High-risk patients, like those with weak immune systems from transplants or cancer treatment, have limited options for treating severe infections in heart valves. People who use IV drugs and those with devices like pacemakers or artificial heart valves are also at higher risk for these infections.
In a recent study, about half of the 285 participants were IV drug users. The findings show that over 90% of patients treated with this method cleared their infections and had lower chances of dying in the hospital than those whose infections didn’t go away. This research involved patients across 19 U.S. sites who couldn’t have surgery and hadn’t improved with antibiotics.
This research found that using a catheter to remove most of a heart infection can greatly improve patients’ response to antibiotics afterward. The study focused on high-risk patients who weren’t getting better with antibiotics alone and faced major risks with open-heart surgery.
The authors noted, “We were able to show that minimally invasive catheter-based aspiration of the infection is feasible, successful, and may help a significant population of patients who otherwise have no alternative therapeutic options.”
The catheter system was initially created to remove blood clots from the lungs without surgery. Its use for treating infective endocarditis is showing promise as a safe and effective option. However, Dr. El Sabbagh emphasizes that more research is needed to confirm these findings.