Study on How Targeted Dental Screening Affects Infective Endocarditis Risk After Surgical Valve Replacement

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the impact of different preoperative dental screening practices on the risk of infective endocarditis IE in patients undergoing surgical valve replacement. IE is a serious infection linked with high mortality and morbidity and is particularly concerning for patients with prosthetic left-sided valves, who face an estimated 1% annual risk. Guidelines recommend eliminating dental infection sources before valve implantation, but these recommendations are mainly based on registry data rather than randomized trials. The study compares two approaches mandatory preoperative dental screening MPDS versus no preoperative dental screening NPDS before surgical valve replacement. The research is conducted as a prospective registry-based observational before-and-after study, starting from 2020 with changes in screening protocols implemented in March 2024. One group undergoes mandatory dental screening including possible oral surgery, while the other group does not have preoperative dental screening. Participants will be observed for an average of one year to assess the number of patients developing infective endocarditis. Researchers will also monitor secondary outcomes such as oral surgical procedures, tooth extractions, types of bacteria causing infections, bacteremia incidence, and infections related to cardiac devices. The study involves collecting data through routine clinical follow-up and blood cultures to better understand the relationship between dental screening practices and post-surgical infection risk.

Impact of Preoperative Dental Screening in Reducing Infective Endocarditis Risk in Surgical Valve Replacement Patients