[Echocardiographic monitoring of Marfan's syndrome. Triple valvular prolapse and calcified permeable foramen ovale].

A patient with typical Marfan's syndrome was monitored by echocardiography, which detected (in 1978) a prolapse of the mitral valve complicated by severe cardiac insufficiency, necessitating valve replacement. Seven years later an aneurysm of the ascending aorta (60 mm) was detected which caused prolapse of the aortic valve with valvular insufficiency, combined with prolapse of the tricuspid valve and a calcified foramen ovale the permeability of which was verified by peripheral injection of contrast medium. Echocardiography, notably two-dimensional, is an excellent examination for regular and atraumatic monitoring of Marfan's syndrome and detection of cardiovascular complications.