Infecciones asociadas a las válvulas protésicas cardíacas, las prótesis vasculares y los dispositivos de electroestimulación cardíacos

Staphylococci are the most common etiological agents, and the infection is thought to result from contamination during device implantation or in the early postoperative period. Positive blood culture status, and diagnostic imaging (transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) and nuclear medicine study (scintigraphy using labeled leukocytes) are the basic tools to establish the diagnosis. Treatment is complex and requires prolonged antibiotic administration targeting the isolated organisms, and device removal to attain cure.