Echocardiographic manifestations of aortic cusp rupture in a myxomatous aortic valve.

A 16-year-old pregnant black girl who had spontaneous perforation of the aortic valve associated with myxomatous aortic valvular degeneration is presented. The echocardiogram revealed chaotic systolic motion of one of the aortic cusps, diastolic aortic valvular fluttering, and abnormal diastolic echoes in the left ventricular outflow tract. The report illustrates that the echocardiographic features associated with valvular vegetations are not specific for infectious endocarditis.