Bicuspid Aortic Valve

This 7-year-old child had been previously operated on for coarctation of the aorta. No recoarctation has developed. A 2/6 degree ejection murmur that is rough and low-pitched can be heard in the aortic area. The left ventricle is normal with no hypertrophy. The aortic valve is bicuspid and opens well. Echocardiography shows no turbulence, but the flow rate has accelerated slightly to approximately 1.5 m/s. The sound does not differ from the physiological sound of flow in the aorta, which is rare in children. Children with ejection sounds in the aortic area should be examined, because they may have a minor anomaly of the aortic valve. In this case the patient needs endocarditis prophylaxis.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve