We described a new technique (called ‘bicuspidization’), which is performed by using autogenous material, without replacement of the aortic valves for the surgical treatment of aortic stenosis and/or insufficiency and tested it in in vitro sheep model. Different stress conditions were simulated by applying three different flow patterns (hemodynamic challenge tests) successively by using a centr...

Coronary artery anomalies combined with bicuspid aortic valve are rare but cause perioperative complications if not detected on time. Because anomalous coronary arteries vary with respect to the ostium’s origin and transverse route, the precise anatomy should be identified preoperatively and the procedure modified. We describe a severely stenotic bicuspid aortic valve and anomalous coronary art...

Figure 1. M-mode and two-dimensional (2D) diastolic frame in the parasternal long-axis view of a bicuspid aortic valve with eccentric closure (arrows). Although not diagnostic, an eccentric line of closure should prompt one to evaluate the aortic valve closely for BAV. LA = left atrium. (Modified with permission from: Kerut EK, McIlwain, Plotnick: Handbook of Echo-Doppler Interpretation 2nd Ed,...

Background Aortic coarctation (AC) represents 7% of congenital heart disease. It is a reversible secondary cause of systemic hypertension, however up to 35% of patients remain hypertensive and 18% have cardiovascular complications such as aortic aneurysm, dissection or aortic valve disease. AC is associated with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) in around 60%, both diseases alter aortic wall distensi...

A 33-year-old man presented with severe aortic insufficiency due to a prolapsed bicuspid aortic valve. The ventriculoaortic junction was dilated to 29 mm without root dilatation, and external ring annuloplasty was performed using a Gelweave (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan) graft to reduce the size to 22 mm. The leaflets were repaired by dividing and suturing a raphe between the right and left cusps. This...

A new species of Parotocinclus is described from three small tributaries of the rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by presenting the following characters: (1) a triangular dark blotch at the anterior base of the dorsal fin, (2) the absence of an adipose fin but presence of one small platelet at typical adipose-fin region, (3) th...

OBJECTIVES Previous studies have established familial clustering of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), presumably indicating genetic inheritance. Our objective was to statistically test whether the segregation pattern of BAV is consistent with genetic inheritance and to obtain an estimate of the size of the genetic effect (heritability). BACKGROUND Bicuspid aortic valve occurs in 1% of the populati...

Objective: To evaluate long term results and independent predictors of outcome of aortic valvoplasty. Design: Retrospective follow up study. Independent predictors of outcome identified by multiple logistic regression. Setting: Tertiary referral centre. Patients: 269 consecutive patients treated at the median age of 8 months (0–23 years): 80 (30%) under 4 weeks, 59 (22%) between 4 weeks and 1 y...

OBJECTIVES The durability of bioprosthetic valves in the pulmonary position is suboptimal. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the early results of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) bicuspid pulmonary valve (PV) implantation and to better define the function of this valve by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS Fifty-six patients who underwent PTFE bicuspid PV implantation between...