EPIDEMIOLOGY Predisposing factors for infective endocarditis are cardiac abnormalities that disrupt the endocardium by means of a jet injury, as well as the presence of blood-borne microorganisms that colonize these abnormal surfaces. Congenitally bicuspid aortic valve is the most common predisposing lesion for endocarditis of the aortic valve. In addition, congenital abnormalities of the aorti...

Prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis is associated with valve ring abscess, conduction abnormalities and a grave prognosis. Aortic root abscess is a serious complication of infective endocarditis with high mortality. We report a case of a patient who had echocardiographic features resembling aortic root abscess along with severe aortic regurgitation, 6 weeks following aortic valve replacement. ...

BACKGROUND Aortic prosthetic devices offer limitations that make them less than optimal valve substitutes because the vast majority are innately obstructive, especially at increased levels of hemodynamic function. The present study is designed to demonstrate the hemodynamics of the pulmonary autograft in 11 conditioned athletes who have undergone the Ross (pulmonary autograft) procedure. Data w...

Percutaneous aortic valve implantation is an emergent technique alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in high risk patients with aortic stenosis. Percutaneous aortic valve implantation techniques are undergoing rapid development and currently represent a dynamic field of research. Perioperative optimal strategies keep on evolving too. At a review of the literature, only three previou...

necropsy. The normal aortic valve echocardiogram is described and evidence is given that the anteriorly visualized cusp echoes arefrom the right coronary but those which are posteriorly visualized may befrom the non-coronary or the left coronary cusp. The ultrasound patterns in aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, and mixed aortic valve disease are described. In each case the aortic root diam...

The echocardiographic features of a patient with severe aortic regurgitation due to a "floppy" aortic valve are presented. The salient abnormality observed was marked fluttering of the aortic valve cusps in diastole. Fluttering of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve and left ventricular enlargement were noted. The diagnosis of a "floppy" aortic valve was substantiated at surgery.

This is the first report of an unusual fatal complication associated with the Starr-Edwards prosthetic aortic valve holder. The patient died 51 days after replacement of his aortic valve with a Starr-Edwards prosthetic aortic valve. The cause of death was coronary arterial embolus caused by a fragment broken off of the prosthetic aortic valve holder.

Based on the natural mathematical relationships between the components of the human tri-leaflet aortic valve, new calibrated cusp sizers were developed in order to facilitate aortic valve assessment in the operating room and enhance the chance for a perfect restoration of aortic valve competence. These sizers were used clinically to guide the implementation of established aortic valve repair te...

OBJECTIVE Aortic valve incompetence associated with severe aortic ectasia is usually treated by aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement. In cases of isolated aortic ectasia or in Type A aortic dissection the valve is often normal and the incompetence is just due to annular dilatation. Such conditions lead to the application of various valve-sparing surgical techniques, as described by Senn...

Brucella abortus infection of the aortic valve caused acute aortic regurgitation leading to severe left ventricular failure in a 62-year-old man. He made an excellent recovery after emergency aortic valve replacement. This is the third reported case of successful heart valve replacement for Brucella endocarditis and the second such case involving the aortic valve.