Are mitral valve repair patients susceptible to endocarditis?

[tsanjose]

I know even non-heart disease patients can contract it but I hear valve replacement patients are at most risk. I recently had my mitral valve repaired (Nov 6, 2015) and I'm worried about infection.

[Ger57]

Yes, foreign objects increase the risk and after a year, when the foreign matter is covered with  e human cells the risk becomes less.

But regurgitation also increases the risk. The thought behind this is: Anything that obstructs/disturbs the smooth flow of blood, gives bacteria more chance to stick to heart tissue.
Regurgitation is anything but a smooth blood flow.

The only thing you can do to prevent endocarditis is to prevent bacteria entering the bloodstream as much as possible. (good oral health, careful with tattoos and piercings, colonscopy cytoscopy ....)

[tsanjose]

thanks for the response. any idea about the logic why the regurgitation factors in to increased risk? i always assumed it was cause of the prosthetic or foreign object inside the blood system that was the culprit.

btw, i also heard that the heart tissue grows over the annulus ring in time. i forgot what they called this but i recall a real medical term for it.

[Ger57]

Valve replacement puts the patient in greater risk for endocarditis. Valve repair in itself afaik does not increase the chances for endocarditis. Valve repair however often does not lead to complete restoration of the valve function. Often there remains regurgitation and that increases the risk for endocarditis again (a little).

To minimise the risk of endocarditis, keep your gums in good heath and discuss with your doctor (dentist) if medication is needed for dental work colonscopy etc.