Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm mimicking Infective Endocarditis in a patient with Down Syndrome – case report
Clicks: 1
ID: 320334
2026
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This
article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score —
reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
Reader Engagement
0.0
/100
1 views
0 readers
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Ranked #237 of 251 articles by views in European Heart Journal - Case Reports
Most read
Least read
Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 251 in total.
Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet mintedCreate a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.
5
SUSD
one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
Abstract Background Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare structural anomaly, that could be congenital or acquired, usually silent to the moment of rupture. Its diagnosis can be challenging as the turbulent jet flow may mimic vegetations or abscesses associated with infective endocarditis. Case summary A 31-year-old woman with Down syndrome presented with signs of severe right heart failure and a history of recurrent fevers. Initial echocardiography revealed a massive left-to-right shunt and an echogenic structure in the aortic root, raising suspicion of a paravalvular abscess – patient was treated initially with intravenous antibiotics. However, due to negative blood cultures and imaging findings (CCT, CMR) lesion was reclassified as a ruptured non-coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOV) fistulizing into the right atrium (Qp:Qs 3.5). Due to the ambiguity of the diagnosis and initial clinical stability, elective surgery was planned after antibiotics course completed and heart failure treatment optimalization. One month later, the patient presented in acute heart failure event with distribution shock. Emergency surgery was performed. Intraoperative findings confirmed RSOV without signs of infection. The aneurysm was excised with fistula closure, and the aortic valve replaced. The patient made a full recovery. Discussion This case highlights the diagnostic overlap between RSOV and IE. It underscores the critical role of multimodality imaging in excluding infection and defining anatomy. Furthermore, it demonstrates that in cases of massive left-to-right shunting, delaying surgery carries a high risk of rapid hemodynamic collapse.
| Reference Key |
openalex_W7167797758
Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using
SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
|
|---|---|
| Authors | Jan Harpula, Julia Sekuła, Paweł Żurek, Wojciech Wojakowski, Ewa Peszek‐Przybyła |
| Journal | European Heart Journal - Case Reports |
| Year | 2026 |
| DOI |
10.1093/ehjcr/ytag495
|
| URL | |
| Keywords | Keywords not found |
Citations
No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.