Abstract
Infective endocarditis in general, including native as well as prosthetic valve endocarditis,
still is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Particularly in prosthetic
valve endocarditis mortality can reach 80 %. Involvement of the aortic root or coronary
artery can result in complex surgical anatomy, frequently making aortic root replacement
necessary. Basically, two comparable techniques are established for these purposes:
the Bentall- and the Cabrol-procedure. Hereby, the strength of the Cabrol-technique
particularly lies in case of dense adhesions, making mobilization of coronary arteries
difficult or quite impossible. Both techniques allow an effective surgical debridement
and removal of the infective focus, resulting in low rates of reinfection. Generally,
the outcome is rather determined by persistence of the septic state and onset of associated
complications than by the surgery itself. An interdisciplinary approach is mandatory
for achieving optimal therapeutic results.
