Ruptured sinus of a Valsalva aneurysm associated with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease in an elderly patient: Report of a case

We report herein the case of a 71-year-old woman with autosomal-dominant po lycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), who was referred to our hospital for inves tigation of facial edema. Echocardiography demonstrated a large aneurysm ar ising from the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva, with a left to right shunt an d jets of blood passing from the aneurysm toward the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve. Surgical treatment was successfully carried out by resecti ng the aneurysmal wall and performing a patch closure of the orifice. It is well known that ADPKD predisposes patients to cardiovascular disease, and this case report serves to demonstrate that when a patient with ADPKD prese nts with progressive heart failure, the possibility of a ruptured sinus of a Valsalva aneurysm must be considered.