Added diagnostic value of sonication of heart valves in infective endocarditis, a case-control study

Optimal antimicrobial treatment of endocarditis requires determination of the causative microorganism and its resistance pattern. A valuable addition to blood cultures is analysis of explanted heart valves, if available. The diagnostic yield of the latter is often limited due to previous antimicrobial treatment and biofilm formation. Sonication is thought to disrupt biofilm and has been shown to increase the yield of cultures in prosthetic joint infections, in particular after previous antibiotic treatment. We investigated the diagnostic value of heart valve sonication in endocarditis