Congenital aortic insufficiency due to aortic cusp stretching: 'kite anomaly'

Aortic insufficiency may be either acquired or congenital. A 46-year-old male had a congenital pathology which resulted in aortic insufficiency due to the presence of a fibrous band that stretched from the non-coronary cusp to the aortic wall. The patient underwent successful aortic valve replacement. At surgery, the fibrous band was stretching the non-coronary cusp so that it prevented coaptation of the aortic valve. The situation was termed by us as the 'kite anomaly'.