Neonatal Aortic Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis: Successful Surgical Management of a Rare Case

Abstract

Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is an extremely rare and usually fatal condition in neonates, characterized by sterile fibrin-platelet vegetations on cardiac valves. We report a term male neonate with severe left ventricular outflow tract and aortic valve obstruction due to a 7 × 8 mm mass. Urgent surgical resection preserved valve anatomy, and recovery was uneventful; histopathology confirmed NBTE. Differential diagnosis of neonatal cardiac masses, including rhabdomyomas, fibroelastomas, and thrombi, is crucial. Early echocardiographic recognition, prostaglandin support, and timely surgery can enable survival despite an otherwise poor prognosis.