Combination of a Giant Dissected Ascending Aortic Aneurysm with Multiple Fistulae into the Cardiac Chambers Caused by Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis

Abstract

The combination of a dissected ascending aortic aneurysm (AA) with multiple fistulae to the periaortic root structures is a life-threatening complication that occurs rarely after infective endocarditis of the prosthetic aortic valve. Many risk factors are potentially associated with this complication, including aortic diameter, connective tissue disease of the aortic wall, hypertension and infection. We report a rare case of dissected ascending AA with fistulae to the left atrium and pulmonary artery and a paravalvular leak in a 47-year-old woman with a history of an aortic valve replacement. The patient had presented to the Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran, in January 2015 with clinical features of heart failure. After initially being treated for congestive heart failure, she underwent open-heart surgery via a classic Bentall procedure and double fistula closure. She was discharged 23 days after the operation in good condition. A six-month follow-up showed normal functioning of the composite conduit prosthetic valve and no fistulae recurrence.