Metastatic Calcinosis of Aortic Valve Secondary to Renal Failure Mimicking Infective Endocarditis

Abstract EN

End stage renal disease has a list of consequences, cardiovascular being the most common.

Inefficient dialysis can cause significant deposition of calcium all over the body, including heart valves making heart function impaired.

We illustrate a case of 38-year-old female with end stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis.

The patient had been complaining of pain and swelling of the right hand for the last few months and had been seen by hand surgeon and was admitted electively for the biopsy of hand lesions.

Before her planned surgery, she developed severe shortness of breath.

Urgent echocardiogram revealed severe aortic regurgitation and large vegetation on the aortic valve.

Infective endocarditis was suspected but blood cultures were negative for any microorganism and the patient did not meet the Duke criteria.

Because of her hemodynamic instability immediate mechanical valve replacement surgery was performed.

The pathology report showed extensive calcification and myxoid degeneration.

No infectious agent was found.

Later on, biopsy of her hand lesions showed extensive calcification with macrophages and giant cells.

No atypia or malignancy was identified.

This is a rare case of the metastatic calcinosis of aortic valve secondary to renal failure mimicking aortic valve infective endocarditis.