Diastolic opening of aortic valve: an echographic observation

Echocardiography provided excellent insight into the altered hemodynamics in a patient with acute, severe aortic regurgitation due to bacterial endocarditis. The most notable echographic findings were premature closure of the mitral valve and diastolic opening of the aortic valve. At surgery, the patient proved to have a large perforation in the base of the noncoronary cusp.