During one year period from Sep. 1986 to Sep. 1987, we have experienced 6 cases of infective endocarditis requiring surgical interventions. All 6 patients had class IV or V cardiac disability at the time of surgery. The indication for surgery was rapidly progressive congestive heart failure in all cases. Four patients underwent aortic valve replacement including one double valve replacement. Two other patients required other surgical procedures, removal of large left atrial vegetation mass in one patient and excision of destroyed pulmonary valve and aortic vegetation in the other patient. Two patients died; one of mitral annulus rupture after release of aortic clamp and the other of mediastinal bleeding 3 months after replacement of aortic valve. Three out of 4 survivors are in NYHA Class I and the remaining patient is in Class II. We emphasize that early operative intervention is life-saving in patients with persistent or progressive congestive heart failure, irrespective of the activity of the infective process or the duration of antibiotic therapy.