This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by CARTER, J. B. Articles by EDWARDS, J. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by CARTER, J. B. Articles by EDWARDS, J. E.

(Circulation. 1971;43:922.)
© 1971 American Heart Association, Inc.

---

Clinicopathologic Correlations

Prolapse of Semilunar Cusps as Causes of Aortic Insufficiency

JOHN B. CARTER M.D.¹; SURENDRA SETHI M.D.¹; GERALD B. LEE M.D.¹; JESSE E. EDWARDS M.D.¹

¹ From the Departments of Pathology of the Charles T. Miller Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota, and of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Departments of Medicine and Pathology, St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Among the various anatomic classes of aortic valvular insufficiency is that associated with prolapse of one or several cusps of the valve. A number of etiologic factors come into play, including intrinsic weakness or excessive cuspid tissue, trauma, infection, inadequate support of the aorta as in certain ventricular septal defects, and loss of commissural support from laceration of the ascending aorta. The latter condition may result from trauma, cystic medial necrosis, inflammation, or hypertension. The lacerated aorta may either be associated with typical dissecting aneurysm or there may be little intramural dissection of blood.

In some instances wherein prolapse of one or more cusps causes aortic insufficiency, the functional disturbance may be overcome by correcting the basic problem while preserving the natural aortic valve.

Submitted on March 1, 1971
Accepted on March 3, 1971

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Mihaljevic, M. R. Sayeed, S. C. Stamou, and S. Paul Pathophysiology of Aortic Valve Disease Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2008; 3(2008): 825 - 840. [Full Text]

				T. Mihaljevic, S. Paul, L. H. Cohn, and A. Wechsler Pathophysiology of Aortic Valve Disease Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2003; 2(2003): 791 - 810. [Full Text]