Endocarditis and other indications for open-heart surgery after a transcatheter aortic valve implant

This retrospective observational single-centre analysis included 31 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) between 2016 and 2024 and subsequent open-heart surgery between 2019 and 2024. They were admitted from infectious disease departments or cardiology clinics and accounted for 0.7% of heart operations performed in 2024. The incidence of definite endocarditis was 0.5% (17/3226) of all TAVI procedures performed during this period. Of the 17 patients, 9 (53%) with definite endocarditis underwent aortic valve replacement, with 1 early death (11%) from bowel ischaemia and liver failure. The 2-year postoperative survival for definite endocarditis was 76%. Open-heart surgery was contraindicated in all 8 patients with definite endocarditis due to severe comorbidities and frailty. These patients died within 2 years of the infection or due to heart failure. Furthermore, 10 patients classified as having endocarditis after TAVI were medically treated and had a 2-year survival rate of 72%. The survival rate was 87% at 2 years after open-heart surgery for non-infectious indications performed up to 5 years after TAVI in 22 patients. In conclusion, heart surgery can be curative in selected patients with definite endocarditis after TAVI and lifesaving after rare TAVI complications.