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.
Yoshikai
Masaru
M
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shin-Koga Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
Muraya
Junichi
J
Fujita
Hiroya
H
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