[Quadricuspid aortic valve: three case reports and review of the literature]

Three patients with grade 3 aortic regurgitation caused by rare congenital quadricuspid valve underwent aortic valve replacement. Patients were two females (51 and 45 years old) and a 51 year-old male. The first case showed 2 equal larger and 2 equal smaller valves. In the latter two cases, 4 equal sized cusps were noted. Fibrous trabeculations bridging the aortic wall and the commissures, giving an appearance of a hammock, were noted in the third case. Small fenestations were also noted in two cusps in this case. These findings may suggest dysplastic feature of the quadricuspid aortic valve. Hypertension seemed to have played an important role in the occurrence of regurgitation in their 4th or 5th decade of life. Their postoperative courses were uneventful.