DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE AORTIC VALVULAR DISRUPTION SECONDARY TO RAPID-DECELERATION TRAUMA

Acute aortic valve rupture with resultant aortic insufficiency is a ra re complication of blunt trauma. We describe a case in which a patient fell 70 feet, sustaining avulsion of two leaflets of the aortic valve along with multiple other injuries, primarily orthopedic, Our case de monstrates that patients with acute aortic regurgitation can be manage d nonoperatively if necessary in the acute setting, enabling managemen t of other significant trauma. Subsequent semielective valvular replac ement mag be undertaken if other injuries must take precedence.