Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic criteria, surgical indications, and prognostic factors in the surgical treatment of infective endocarditis (IE). Methods: A total of 161 cases of post-operative IE treated at our hospital from January 2007 to December 2016 were included. The IE was diagnosed by the modified Duke criteria. Echocardiography and standard blood cultures were performed. These cases were divided into severe and non-severe adverse event groups. The association between prognostic factors and severe versus non-severe outcomes was examined using logistic regression. Results: Thirty patients (20.1%) with post-operative IE had positive pre-operative blood cultures, and 130 patients (80.7%) had valve vegetations. Four patients (2.5%) died within 30 days post-operatively. Twenty-two patients experienced severe adverse events. There were significant differences between the two groups regarding their serum albumin and creatinine concentrations, ejection fraction, and hospitalization, cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamp, intensive care unit (ICU), and ventilation times (all p < 0.05). The bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, and ICU time were identified as prognostic factors for severe adverse events. Conclusion: Echocardiography is an important diagnostic method for IE, and repeated tests might improve the sensitivity of diagnosis. Cardiac surgery seems to be an effective treatment for IE. Patient screening and reducing the operative time may improve the prognosis for patients who undergo surgical treatment for IE.