Aorta to right atrial shunt due to the rupture of a degenerative aneurysm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva

• DOI: 10.2459/jcm.0b013e3283528f8c
• Publication Date: 2012-12-06T08:35:31Z
• Authors: Tommaso Generali; Andrea Garatti; Andrea Biondi; Alessandro Varrica; Lorenzo Menicanti
• Keywords: Heart Failure; Male; Vascular Fistula; Aortic Rupture; Sinus of Valsalva; Aortic Aneurysm; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Fatal Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Acute Disease; Humans; Heart Atria; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Aorta; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Aged

Aneurysms of the sinus of Valsalva are a rare aortic pathology. Congenital aneurysms caused by weakness at the junction of the aortic media and the annulus fibrosus occur more commonly than acquired aneurysms, which are typically secondary to disease processes that involve the aortic root. The both can remain clinically silent for many years. About half are associated with aortic regurgitation. Symptoms can be caused by mechanical obstruction, with compression of the conducting system, or intracardiac rupture. Herein, the case of a 77 years old man, with no specific cardiologic risk factor, who came to our attention with an acute congestive heart failure and a diagnosis of a ruptured aneurysm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva is described. After diagnosis was confirmed, he underwent an emergency repair of the lesion.