TIA, stroke, and the bicuspid aortic valve

Congenital bicuspid aortic valve, one of the most common congenital heart abnormalities, may become infected, may calcify, and may cause progressive stenosis or progressive insufficiency. While no previous reports suggested cerebral emboli in the absence of valvular infection, we studied four such cases. In all, cerebral angiography was normal and no extracardiac source of emboli was demonstrated. Microthrombus formation and valvular thickening with incompetence could eventuate in embolization.