Unruptured and ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms in two cases

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysms (SVA) are relatively rare lesions with a variable clinical presentation. We presented two patients, one of whom (male, aged 96 years) had an unruptured asymptomatic right SVA without a left-to-right shunt to the right ventricle, and the other (male, aged 33 years) a fistula from the right sinus of Valsalva to the right atrium due to nonpenetrating thoracic trauma. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography in both cases. The elderly patient was followed-up with medical therapy for a year without any complications. The younger patient had complaints of progressive exertional dyspnea and fatigue following blunt substernal and thoracic trauma. He underwent successful surgical repair of the SVA.

Keywords: Aortic aneurysm, aortic rupture/surgery, echocardiography; sinus of Valsalva; vascular fistula.