[Congenital quadricuspid aortic valves].

BACKGROUND

Quadricuspid aortic valve is an uncommon congenital anomaly. We report a case in a patient hospitalized for heart failure.

CASE REPORT: A 62-year old patient with exercise-induced dyspnea was hospitalized for heart failure. Heart auscultation revealed a diastolic aortic murmur attributed to a quadricuspid aortic valve evidenced at echocardiography.

DISCUSSION: Quadricuspid aortic valves usually have three cusps of equivalent size and a small fourth cusp between the right coronary cusp and the non-coronary cusp. Aortic regurgitation is usually observed requiring valve replacement in 50% of the cases. The anomaly may be associated with other congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries warranting systematic coronarography prior to valve replacement.