From unicuspid to quadricuspid: influence of aortic valve morphology on aortic three-dimensional hemodynamics.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of aortic valve morphology on aortic hemodynamics between normal tricuspid and congenitally anomalous aortic valves ranging from unicuspid to quadricuspid morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aortic three-dimensional (3D) blood flow was evaluated by 4D flow MRI in 14 healthy volunteers with normal trileaflet valves and 14 patients with unicuspid (n = 3), bicuspid (n = 9, 3 "true" bicuspid, 3 right-left (RL), 3 right-noncoronary (RN) leaflet fusion, and quadricuspid aortic valves (n = 2). Data analysis included the co-registered visualization of aortic valve morphology with systolic 3D blood flow. The influence of valve morphology on aortic hemodynamics was quantified by valve flow angle. RESULTS: All RL-bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) were associated with flow jets directed toward the right anterior aortic wall while RN-fusion and unicuspid valves resulted in flow jet patterns toward the right-posterior or posterior wall. Flow angles were clearly influenced by valve morphology (47° ± 10, 28° ± 2, 29° ± 18, 18° ± 12, 15° ± 2 for unicuspid, true BAV, RN-BAV, RL-BAV, quadricuspid valves) and increased compared with controls (7.2° ± 1.1, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Altered 3D aortic hemodynamics are impacted by the morphology of congenitally malformed aortic valves.

An Unlucky Four-Leaf Clover Stenosis With a Single Coronary Artery.

The recognition of quadricuspid aortic valve has clinical significance as it leads to aortic valve dysfunction. Due to its frequent association with other congenital cardiac abnormalities, such as abnormally located coronary ostia, preoperative diagnosis is crucial. We present the case of a unique association of quadricuspid aortic valve stenosis with a single coronary artery.

Quadricuspid aortic valve associated with aortic insufficiency contributors.

A 51-year-old male presented with a wound in his right hand that was suspicious for possible septic emboli of cardiac origin. With transesophageal echocardiography, the patient was found to have a rare quadricuspid aortic valve. This quadricuspid valve can present with variable symptoms and physical exam findings. Due to embryological defects, this pathology is associated with several other anatomical defects that are important to recognize prior to surgical intervention. Transesophaegeal echocardiography remains the gold standard in detection of quadricuspid aortic valve and identification of other possible cardiac lesions.

Right Atrioventricular Valve Leaflet Morphology Redefined: Implications for Transcatheter Repair Procedures.

OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to comprehensively detail the right atrioventricular valve functional leaflet anatomies. BACKGROUND: The rapid development of both surgical and percutaneous repair techniques for tricuspid regurgitation has renewed interest in variations in the morphology of the right atrioventricular valve. METHODS: The functioning right atrioventricular valves of 40 reanimated human hearts were imaged using Visible Heart methodologies. Hearts were then perfusion-fixed and dissected, uniquely allowing for the comparative assessments of functional versus fixed valve anatomies from the same set of donor hearts. RESULTS: The right atrioventricular valves have "3-leaflet" configurations in 57.5% and "4-leaflet" configurations in the remaining hearts. For 4-leaflet valves, extra leaflets were commonly observed in the most inferior regions of the annuli. No difference in valve perimeters between 2 valve types were observed (112.2 vs. 117.1 mm; p = 0.14). In 3-leaflet valves, septal, mural, and superior leaflets occupied 32.2 ± 6.5%, 15.9 ± 5.5%, and 25.5 ± 6.2% of the annulus, respectively, whereas in the 4-leaflet arrangements, these values were 27.0 ± 5.8% (septal), 12.0 ± 4.5% (inferior), 13.7 ± 9.4% (mural), and 19.8 ± 6.1% (superior). The muroseptal/inferoseptal commissures were usually located in the cavotricuspid regions, whereas the inferomural and superomural commissures were in the right atrial appendage vestibule area. CONCLUSIONS: The right atrioventricular valve has 4 functional leaflets in more than 40% of cases. The authors found that the inferomural region is the most variable area of the valve and believe that anatomic variation is an important consideration for planned interventions.