Early degeneration and endocarditis in a transcatheter heart valve

An 83-year-old woman with multiple autoimmune disorders treated with corticosteroids was admitted to emergency department for heart failure and fever, after 1 year from implantation of trans-aortic valve (23-mm-Edward-Sapien-3). Diagnosis of definitive infective endocarditis was achieved: positive blood cultures for Streptococcus Gallolyticus and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showing high trans-prosthesis gradients (mean-gradient 60...