Anomaly of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery arising from the right sinus of valsalva is frequently seen with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). The association of the LAD coronary artery with ventricular septal defect (VSD) is uncommon. We described an anomalous origin of the LAD coronary artery from the right sinus of valsalva with ventricular septal defect in a 38-year-old male patient suffering from atypical angina. The LAD coronary artery arose from the right sinus of valsalva, just next to the right coronary artery. There was a single opening in the membranous part of the interventricular septum. From this case, we suggest that angiography is useful for both documenting anomalies of the LAD coronary artery associated with VSD and for determining the safest surgical procedures.
Sinus of Valsalva/*abnormalities ; Male ; Humans ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular/complications/*radiography ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies/complications/*radiography ; Coronary Angiography ; Adult

Angina Pectoris ; pathology ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; etiology ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sinus of Valsalva ; abnormalities

BACKGROUND: A Comprehensive Aortic Root and Valve Reconstruction (CARVAR) procedure is comprised of aortic root wall reconstruction and corrections of the leaflets for treating various aortic valve diseases. We evaluated our recent early clinical experience with the CARVAR procedure. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From October 2007 to September 2008, 114 cases (66 males) of CARVAR procedures were performed. The mean patient age was 53 years (range: 14~84). The patients were divided into 4 groups: 1) the AAR group: aortic regurgitation with aortic root wall deformity such as annulo-aortic ectasia or ascending aortic aneurysm (n=18), 2) the IAR group: isolated AR with leaflet abnormality (n=42), 3) the IAS group: isolated aortic stenosis (n=51) and 4) the PAVR group: previous aortic valve replacement (n=3). Sinotubular junction (STJ) reduction was done in all the patients, leaflet correction was done in 10 of the AAR group patients and in all the patients of the other groups, annulus reduction was done in 14 of the AAR group patients and in 6 of the IAR group patients. Aortic dissection was excluded from this analysis. RESULT: There was no mortality or follow-up death. The diameter of the aortic sinus decreased from 54.6+/-8.4 mm to 38.3+/-3.8 mm in the AAR group, the mean AR grade decreased from 3.2 to 0.2 in the IAR group, the mean aortic valve pressure gradient decreased from 47.1+/-24.4 mmHg to 15.1+/-11.7 mmHg in the IAS group and the mean AR grade decreased to 0 in the PAVR group. Balloon type coronary perfusion cannula-related coronary ostial stenosis developed in 4 patients and this was treated with OPCAB in three patients and with PTCA in one patient. Two patients developed postoperative infectious endocarditis. All the patients were discharged and followed up in a stable condition. CONCLUSION: The CARVAR procedure showed excellent short term results, but a good further follow up result is required to apply this procedure to most kinds of aortic valve diseases.
Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Endocarditis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Perfusion ; Sinus of Valsalva

Coronary artery anomalies are associated often with myocardial ischemia or sudden cardiac death. A 19-year-old woman who participated in an exertive game lost consciousness upon one such exertion. She was taken to a hospital where she died on the same day. An autopsy revealed that she had bifurcated coronary arteries, which arose from one coronary ostium in the left sinus of Valsalva. The right coronary artery arose from the left sinus and traveled between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk. The heart as well as the cardiac conduction system depended exclusively on the single coronary artery ostium for oxygenated blood supply, and the unbalanced blood distribution on her exertion probably led to sudden cardiac death. The case highlights the medicolegal importance of unexpected sudden cardiac death related to an anomalous origin of the coronary arteries.
Autopsy ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies/*complications/pathology ; Coronary Vessels/pathology ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/*etiology/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Physical Exertion ; Sinus of Valsalva/abnormalities ; Young Adult

Abnormalities, Multiple ; Adult ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; complications ; Aortic Aneurysm ; complications ; Aortic Rupture ; complications ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; etiology ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Sinus of Valsalva

Coronary anomalies are rare angiographic findings. Moreover, there are few reports of cases of an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva and of the left coronary artery from the posterior sinus of Valsalva. Here, we report a case with an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the ascending aorta above the left sinus of Valsalva and the left coronary artery from the posterior sinus of Valsalva. This was observed in a patient who was treated for a myocardial infarction of the inferior wall caused by a thrombus in the proximal right coronary artery. The patient was treated successfully with the implantation of a stent in the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery using a 6Fr Amplatz left 1 catheter.
Angioplasty, Transluminal, Percutaneous Coronary ; Aorta/*abnormalities ; Aortography ; *Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies/*radiography/therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*radiography/therapy ; Sinus of Valsalva/*abnormalities/radiography ; Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Ruptured aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva is an uncommon congenital lesion, which was first reported in 1840 by Thurman. Its incidence is representing up to 3.5% of patients undergoing congenital heart disease surgery. Predominant symptoms are dyspnea, palpitation, and chest pain, present above the half. An early diagnosis is helpful because of the favorable surgical prognosis. Echocardiography remains useful in detecting abnormalities, and provides important information prior to cardiac catheterization and surgery. Cardiac catheterization and angiography are necessary for diagnosis of receiving chamber and associated lesions such as ventricular septal defect, aortic regurgitation, and other congenital abnormalities. The effective treatment is surgery. Without operation, cause of death are heart failure or bacterial endocarditis. We report two cases of asymptomatic ruptured aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva, confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization. The corrective surgery was performed without complication.
Aneurysm, Ruptured* ; Angiography ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Failure ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Sinus of Valsalva*

From August 1986 until June 1995, single aortic valve replacement was performed in 65 patients at the Chonnam National University Hospital. Forthy-eight were male and 17 were female patients, ranging from 19 to 68 years of age (median=43 years). The causes of the valve lesions were rheumatic in 29 patients (44.6%), bicuspid aortic valve in 6 patients (6.2%), endocarditis in 6 patients (6.2%), unknown in others. Concomitant surgical procedures were performed in 10 patients: repair of congenital defect in 5, pericardiectomy in 1, coronary artery bypass grafting in 1, noncoronary sinus plication in 1, Valsalva sinus aneurysmectomy in 1, subaortic membrane resection in 1. Used valves were St. Jude-Medical valve in 42, Duromedics valve in 22, Bjork-Shiley valve in 2, Carpentier-Edward valve in 1. There were 3 hospital deaths (4.6%), and 2 late deaths (3.2%). Follow-up was 95.2% complete. The 10-year acturial survival rate was 85.3%. Postoperative complications were low cardiac output in 8, arrythmia in 5, valve related hemolysis in 1, cerebral infarction in 1, and gastrointestinal bleeding in 2. Reoperation was performed in 4 for surgical bleeding, in 3 for paravalvular leak. The mean improvement in New York Heart Association functional class is from 2.79+-0.66 preoperatively to 1.25+-0.49 postoperatively (p<0.001) The change of cardiothoracic ratio from preoperative to postoperative is 0.57+-0.06 to 0.54+-0.05 (p<0.05). The left ventricular ejection fraction change is not significant perioperatively. There are no mechanical failures. This early and intermediate-term follow-up suggests that in adults in whom valve repair is not possible, the mechanical valve is a reliable and durable prosthesis with good hemodynamic function and a low rate of thromboembolic event.
Adult ; Aortic Valve* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bicuspid ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Cerebral Infarction ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Endocarditis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Hemolysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Membranes ; Pericardiectomy ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostheses and Implants ; Reoperation ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Stroke Volume ; Survival Rate