Case Report, Int J Cardiovasc Res Vol: 4 Issue: 6
Sepsis-induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Caused by a Pacemaker Infected with Candida albicans
| Saziye Karaca1*, Isabelle Masouye2, Tornike Sologashvili1 and Afksendiyos Kalangos1 | |
| 1Service of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland | |
| 2Service of Dermatologie, University Hospital Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland | |
| Corresponding author : Saziye Karaca University Hospital Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41223727625, E-mail: saziye.karaca@hcuge.ch |
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| Received August 11, 2015 Accepted September 21, 2015 Published September 28, 2015 | |
| Citation: Karaca S, Masouye I, Sologashvili T, Kalangos A (2015) Sepsis-induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Caused by a Pacemaker Infected with Candida albicans. Int J Cardiovasc Res 4:6. doi:10.4172/2324-8602.1000243 |
Abstract
Sepsis-induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Caused by a Pacemaker Infected with Candida albicans
Nosocomial infections caused by Candida are increasingly gaining importance. Here we describe a rare instance of infection of a pacemaker with C. albicans, and the consequences following cardiac surgery. The patient was a 68-year-old man who underwent replacement of the ascending aorta following pacemaker implantation. Postoperatively, he showed C. albicans-related pneumonia and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and are frequently associated with the implantation of vascular devices. To our knowledge, this is the first case of DIC after open heart surgery caused by a pacemaker infected by C. albicans.
