Stenosis of the bicuspid aortic valve with systemic lupus erythematosus.
We herein present a rare case of severe aortic valve stenosis with a bicuspid valve in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. The symptoms resulted from aortic valve stenosis, such as chest pain, dyspnea and syncope, which subsided after the insertion of an intra-aortic balloon pump. Thereafter, a calcified bicuspid aortic valve was successfully replaced with a mechanical valve. The pathological findings of the resected valve included irregular fibrotic thickening and marked calcification without any vegetation or thrombus formation. The efficacy of an intra-aortic balloon pump for the relief of symptoms associated with severe aortic valve stenosis indicates its usefulness for such critically ill patients prior to undergoing valvular surgery.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shin-Koga Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
Masaru
M
Yoshikai
Junichi
J
Muraya
Hiroya
H
Fujita
D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome