spontaneous aortic dissection limited to the sinus of valsalva: report of two cases

dissection of the sinus of valsalva is a rare and life-threatening event. it often occurs during percutaneous coronary intervention in the right coronary artery (rca). dissection flap usually involves the rca and the right sinus of valsalva. here we report two extremely rare cases of spontaneous dissection limited to the non-coronary sinus of valsalva, causing severe aortic valve regurgitation: a male aged 51 years presenting with back pain, weakness, and presyncope and another male aged 71 years presenting with orthopnea and weakness. the dissection was found by transesophageal echocardiography. surgical treatment was successful for both patients. one year after surgery, both patients were asymptomatic and follow- up transthoracic echocardiography did not show any abnormality.