[Treatment of Infective Endocarditis with Mitral Valve Plasty Using only Autologous Leaflets by "Washing and Rubbing Method":Report of a Case].

We performed mitral valve plasty( MVP) with vegetation debridement by rubbing with a small gauze ball and by rinsing with saline( named "washing and rubbing method") for mitral regurgitation( MR) due to active infective endocarditis (IE). A 28-year-old male was referred to our hospital with a two-week history of fever. He had renal impairment and anemia, and echocardiography showed severe MR and two vegetations measuring more than 1 cm on the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets( A2-A3 and P2-P3). Severely damaged leaflets were resected and the vegetations were removed by "washing and rubbing method". After the method, treatment by 0.625% glutaraldehyde solution was added to leaflets for its bactericidal and reinforcing effects. MVP using only autologous leaflets was then performed. "Washing and rubbing method" enabled us to avoid using pericardium (autologous/xenogeneic) and/or artificial chordae in infected sites. MVP using "washing and rubbing method" may improve the long-term prognosis of active IE.