title: Isolated perforation of left coronary cusp after blunt chest trauma.
abstract: Left coronary cusp perforation is an extremely rare consequence of blunt chest trauma. A 22-year-old male presented after a motor vehicle accident with dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed moderate to severe aortic regurgitation with prolapsing right coronary cusp. In the operating room he was found to have a left coronary cusp tear near the annulus and an enlarged right cusp. The patient recovered well after successful aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve. Traumatic aortic regurgitation with left cusp perforation is serious and surgical intervention may be lifesaving if performed timely.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Rohit
authors: R
authors: Maini
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Razvan T
authors: RT
authors: Dadu
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Addison
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Luke
authors: L
authors: Cunningham
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Ihab
authors: I
authors: Hamzeh
authors: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Wall
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Nasser
authors: N
authors: Lakkis
authors: Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
authors: Rashed
authors: R
authors: Tabbaa