Rupture of Sinus of Valsalva Mimicking Aortic Root Dissection: Surgical Management and Factors Influencing Immediate Survival

Abstract

Rupture of giant aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva usually requires surgery to prevent life-threatening complications from occurring. We report the case of a 55-year-old patient with a previous history of aortic valve replacement who was urgently referred to our institution with a superior vena cava syndrome and dyspnea. CT-scan initially misdiagnosed a dissection of the aortic root that was ultimately a contained rupture of a giant aneurysm of the non-coronary sinus of Valsalva. Despite a sudden hemodynamic deterioration with a collapse and cardiac arrest, urgent salvage surgery was successfully performed with an uneventful outcome. Physiopathogeny of hemodynamic profiles influencing immediate survival and surgical technique are discussed in this report.