Tuberculous aortic insufficiency. Report of a case with successful surgical treatment

A case of endocardial tuberculoma of the left atrium in a 20-year-old woman is presented. Ulceration of the tuberculoma at the aortic anulus led to disruption of the aortic valvular attachment and induced severe aortic insufficiency. Replacement of the aortic valve and administration of antituberculous medication permitted an uneventful recovery. This is probably the first case of tuberculous aortic insufficiency diagnosed in a living patient and surgically treated with the use of extracorporeal bypass.