[Echocardiographic diagnosis of Valsalva's sinus aneurysm]

Valsalva's sinus aneurysm is a congenital heart disease that may occur both as isolated abnormality or combined with other ailments. The present paper summarizes the results of the use in 20 patients of non-invasive research methods, namely ultrasound cardiography and Doppler's cardiography, in the diagnosis of Valsalva's sinus aneurysms and concomitant heart diseases. Analysis of the findings has shown that the use of ultrasound cardiography in conjunction with pulse Doppler's cardiography permits demonstration with a high accuracy of the direct signs of Valsalva's sinus aneurysm without use of invasive methods, identification of the rupture of its wall and the pathological diastolic blood flow to the cavity corresponding to the rupture. In addition, the application of the above techniques makes it possible to diagnose with a high degree of significance the concomitant abnormalities such as the defects of the interventricular and interatrial septa, aortal valve failure and, in some cases, the signs of concomitant bacterial endocarditis.