A Case of Acute Aortic Regurgitation due to Non-traumatic Rupture of the Aortic Valve Commissure

ABSTRACT

Trauma and non-traumatic aortic pathologies such as infective endocarditis, syphilis, fenestrated aortic valves, valves with myxomatous transformation, cystic medionecrosis of the aorta, and inherited disorders of connective tissue may occasionally lead to a rupture of the aortic valve. Among the causes of the rupture of the aortic valve, the non-traumatic aortic valve commissural rupture is extremely rare. The aortic valve rupture typically results in a rapidly progressive heart failure and frequently, death. Therefore, early diagnosis is followed by an immediate operation is necessary. The purpose of this article is to report the first successful operation in Korea of a 44-year-old male patient with acute aortic regurgitation due to non-traumatic rupture of the aortic valve commissure.