Pharyngitis Workup Leads to the Discovery of Massive Tricuspid Vegetation

Matthew M Barvo; Jacob Pletz; Gbemisola Johnson; Muhammad Ayyaz

doi:10.7759/cureus.13375

Pharyngitis Workup Leads to the Discovery of Massive Tricuspid Vegetation

Cureus. 2021 Feb 16;13(2):e13375. doi: 10.7759/cureus.13375.

Authors

Matthew M Barvo¹, Jacob Pletz², Gbemisola Johnson¹, Muhammad Ayyaz²

Affiliations

¹ Medicine, Trinity School of Medicine, Roswell, USA.
² Internal Medicine, Coliseum Medical Centers, Macon, USA.

Abstract

Infective endocarditis (IE) is one of the leading causes of life-threatening infections and is most often observed among patients who use intravenous (IV) drugs. We discuss the unique presentation of a 31-year-old gentleman with a two-week history of sore throat and shortness of breath, who returned to his community emergency room with persistent symptoms of streptococcal pharyngitis. A thorough history, physical examination, and diagnostic workup were conducted, where a large, protruding, highly mobile vegetation was observed on echocardiogram. His blood cultures grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A vegetation measuring over 5 cm was surgically removed from his tricuspid valve. Following the operation, he underwent six weeks of extensive in-patient medical management with IV antibiotics to treat IE. This patient made a complete recovery and has since returned home.

Keywords: cardiology; pharyngitis; tricuspid valve endocarditis; tricuspid vegetation; valvular endocarditis.

Publication types

Case Reports