Spontaneous Rupture of a Bicuspid Aortic Valve in a Middle-Aged Weightlifter

Authors

• Stylianos Karvounaris Department of Cardiology, Evangelismos Hospital, Paphos, Cyprus
• Evaggelos Sivitanidis Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, The Interbalkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, Pylaia, Thessaloniki, Greece
• Petros Mavrommatis Cardiac Care Center, Paphos, Cyprus
• Georgios Papaetis Internal Medicine and Diabetes Clinic, Paphos, Cyprus; CDA College, Paphos, Cyprus

gpapaetis@yahoo.gr

Abstract

We describe a 58-year-old Caucasian male weightlifter who presented with acute shortness of breath after finishing his extensive exercise routine. Acute aortic valve regurgitation, due to spontaneous rupture of a bicuspid aortic valve, was diagnosed. Urgent surgical intervention was carried out, during which the bicuspid aortic valve was resected and replaced with an On-X bileaflet mechanical valve. The patient remains asymptomatic and is treated with warfarin, being in excellent physical condition 4 years after aortic valve replacement.