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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 1999;15:213-214
© 1999 Elsevier Science NL

Case report

Aortic regurgitation in rheumatoid arthritis necessitating aortic valve replacement

^a Department of Cardiac Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK
^b Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Walsgrave Hospital, Clifford Bridge Road, Walsgrave, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK

Received 11 August 1998; received in revised form 18 November 1998; accepted 25 November 1998.

^* Corresponding author. Tel. +44-121-472-1311; fax: +44-121-627-2542; e-mail: r.s.bonser@bham.ac.uk

Four cases of patients with aortic incompetence secondary to rheumatoid arthritis are presented. All survived aortic surgery (two having bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement and two a homograft aortic root replacement). A review of the pathophysiology and pathology of this rare cause of aortic regurgitation is presented. A rationale for the choice of aortic valve prosthesis is discussed.

Key Words: Rheumatoid arthritis • Aortic valve replacement