[Aneurysms of the Valsalva sinus. Study of ten treated subjects (author's transl)]

The study includes 10 patients affected by aneurysm of Valsalva sinus who underwent surgery. The aneurysm involved the "non coronary" sinus in 5 cases and the right coronary sinus in 5. All the aneurysms prolapsed into the right cardiac chambers. Additional cardiac anomalies were present in 6 patients. 4 patients were asymptomatic, 2 were in NYHA class III and 4 in class IV and one was in cardiogenic shock. Indications for surgery were hemodynamic impairment due to the shunt and/or associated anomalies. Surgical treatment included resection of the aneurysm, suture of its orifice and correction of associated cardiac anomalies. Death only occurred in one patient, who arrived at surgery in cardiogenic shock. 8 patients were followed-up for a mean period of 40 months (range 11 to 84 months), after operation: satisfactory clinical conditions were found in all of them. A mild aortic regurgitation was only observed in one patient, 8 years after surgery.