Aortic sinus of Valsalva aneurysms simulating primary right sided valvular heart disease

Abstract

While acute aortic regurgitation is the most common valvular lesion associated with aortic sinus of Valsalva aneurysms, this report describes the pathological findings in 5 patients in whom primary rightsided valve dysfunction was simulated by sinus of Valsalva aneurysms. In 2 patients aneurysms of the noncoronary sinus projected into the right atrium at the level of the tricuspic valve and caused tricuspid incompetence. In 3 patients aneurysms of the right sinus of Valsalva projected into the right ventricle immediately below the pulmonic valve and caused pulmonary outflow tract obstruction. In only 1 of these patients was the aneurysm perforated at necropsy. Although valvular dysfunction was evident clinically, in none was there a clinical suspicion of a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm. In addition to valvular dysfunction, 2 patients had conduction disturbances and 2, right coronary arterial occlusions found to be the result of aneurysms. The risks of valve dysfunction, arrhythmias, aneurysm rupture, and sudden death and the ability to correct this lesion surgically make it especially important to consider aortic sinus of Valsalva aneurysm as a cause of obscure right sided valvular disease.