What are the implications of the study for the indications for early surgery?
The study found that there was a reduction in the composite outcome of in-hospital deaths and embolic events with early surgery, however firm conclusions cannot be drawn from this trial on the effect of early surgery on mortality due to the small sample size of the study. Additionally, observational studies have been used to make recommendations on the indications for early surgery, but these have not changed appreciably over time, likely due to the potential for bias and confounding. Thus, further research is needed to determine the efficacy of early surgery for patients with native or PVE caused by S aureus.