A 45-YEAR-OLD WOMAN with past medical history significant for hypertension, asthma, and anemia was admitted to the authors' institution with complaint of dyspnea on exertion. A preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram showed moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation, mild dilatation of the sinus of valsalva and ascending aorta and mild decrease in left ventricular function with an ejection fraction equal to 48%. The patient was scheduled for an aortic valve replacement and possible aortic root replacement.
