[Aortic regurgitation caused by quadri-cuspid aortic valve].

Authors report the surgical treatment of a rare malformation of the aortic valve associated with coronary artery stenosis. The aortic valve had a supernumerary cusp which was revealed intraoperatively. The supernumerary cusp appeared to be similar in size to the three other. Surveying the literature it is stated, that the number of similar entities are about 50 in number. Autopsy findings note, that the prevalence is about 0.008-0.012%. During the past 25 years, in aortic valve replacement cases such entity could have not been explored. The possible significance of the entity lays in--that without rheumatic or degenerative origin-in the life span (above 40 years of age) it may lead to severe regurgitation leading to functional deterioration.