Asymptomatic Chronic Traumatic Aortic Valve Perforation with Severe
Aortic Regurgitation
Abstract
Here we present a young asymptomatic male incidentally diagnosed to have
aortic regurgitation (AR). The patient had a history of a blunt trauma
to the thorax two years back but did never have any symptoms.
Transthoracic echocardiography showed a moderately dilated left
ventricle with normal systolic function and severe AR with normal
nondilated aortic root and tri-leaflet aortic valve. To diagnose the
etiology of the AR a trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was done,
which revealed a perforation in the non-adjacent leaflet (NAL) and
confirmed severe AR with two AR jets being clearly visualised, one
through the point of incomplete coaptation and other one through the
perforated area in the NAL. The patient was treated with aortic valve
replacement and was doing well on follow-up.