Case report

Quadricuspid aortic valve not discovered by transthoracic echocardiography

Magnus Dencker¹ and Martin Stagmo²

¹  Dept of Clinical Sciences, Unit of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital MAS, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden

²  Dept of Cardiology, University Hospital MAS, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Ultrasound 2006, 4:41doi:10.1186/1476-7120-4-41

Published:	7 November 2006

Abstract

Background

Quadricuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital heart defect. Several different anatomical variations of a quadricuspid aortic valve has been described and aortic regurgitation is the predominant valvular dysfunction associated with quadricuspid aortic valve.

Case presentation

A 68-year-old woman presented with almost a years history of increasing dyspnoea on exertion. The patient have had two previous transthoracic echocardiographic exams in the last six years and they had only documented moderate aortic regurgitation. Transoesophageal echocardiography displayed a rare case of quadricuspid aortic valve with three cusps of equal size and one larger cusp. The malformation was associated with severe aortic regurgitation.

Conclusion

Liberal use of transoesophageal echocardiography is often warranted if optimal display of valvular morphology is desired.