Cardiovascular involvement in Crohn's disease in the absence of ankylosing spondylitis

We describe a patient who had aortic regurgitation associated with Crohn's disease in the absence of ankylosing spondylitis. Aortitis and aortic insufficiency are fairly uncommon in Crohn's disease. The patient required aortic valve replacement because of severely uncoated cusps secondary to inflammation of the aortic wall and aortic valve. There was a saccular formation just above the right non-coronary commissure. This sac was closed with a pericardial patch. Pledgeted sutures were used for implantation of the prosthetic valve to avoid periprosthetic leakage. The right coronary ostium had narrowed due to aortic wall thickening. A right internal thoracic artery to right coronary artery bypass was done since there was no necessity for proximal anastomosis.