abstract
- A 51-year-old woman with a peritoneovenous shunt for refractory ascites presented with three months of increasing fatigue, exertional dyspnea, night sweats and positive blood cultures. Imaging revealed multiple pulmonary emboli. Transthoracic chocardiography demonstrated moderate tricuspid regurgitation and a large pedunculated right atrial mass attached to the interatrial septum. The echocardiographic appearance remained unchanged after one month of antibiotic therapy and nticoagulation. Intraoperatively, the mass was easily excised and the grossly abnormal tricuspid valve replaced. Pathology revealed endocarditis with multiple bacterial colonies, and fibromyxoid changes consistent with postinflammatory valve disease.