Aortico--left ventricular communication: report of a case.

An 11-month-old male infant whose condition had been followed since birth was referred to the National Taiwan University Hospital for management of a congenital heart disease. On admission, this infant was noted to have a systolic and diastolic precordial thrill and a grade 4/6 systolic and diastolic murmur. Echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and cineangiogram revealed aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation and dilatation of the aortic root. Surgical repair was performed to correct this congenital anomaly due to the progressive congestive heart failure. Intraoperatively, a breach between the aortic valve and the edge of the sinus of Valsalva along the aortic annulus was found. This congenital defect was repaired with a Teflon patch successfully. Postoperatively, this patient convalesced steadily and was discharged. We report this unique case with aortico-left ventricular communication which we believe to be the ninth case in the English-language literature and the first in the Republic of China.