title: Aortic dilatation in patients with bicuspid aortic valve.
abstract: The association of a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) with abnormalities of the proximal thoracic aorta, including dilatation, aneurysm and dissection, has been previously described, leading to the hypothesis of a common underlying developmental defect involving the aortic valve and the aortic wall. Consequently, any patient with BAV should receive a careful assessment not only of the valve function, but also of the aortic root and the ascending aorta. Dilatation of the proximal thoracic aorta is a common finding in patients with BAV and is believed to be related to aortic rupture and dissection. Because progressive dilatation can occur, careful long-term surveillance of the aortic dimensions is required. Prophylactic surgical repair of the dilated aorta should be recommended more aggressively for patients with BAV than for those with a tricuspid aortic valve. However, the optimal timing of aortic surgery in BAV patients remains uncertain because of the limited data available on the natural history of asymptomatic aortic dilatation.
authors.affiliation: Presidio Monospecialistico di Alta Specializzazione 'G.M. Lancisi', Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I - G.M. Lancisi - G. Salesi, Ancona, Italy. morcecconi@tiscalinet.it
authors.forename: Moreno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nistri
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quarti
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manfrin
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Colonna
authors.forename: Epifanio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molini
authors.forename: Gian Piero
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Perna
mesh_terms: D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002648:Child; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence