The Dynamics of Rheumatic and Calcific Aortic Valve Disease

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Abstract
Postmortem perfusion of human hearts with a continuous flow of water documented degrees of stenosis and regurgitation in 23 cases of rheumatic and calcific aortic valve disease and provides an index to correlate clinical symptoms and postmortem findings. Perfusion with a pulsatile flow allowed study of normal and pathological valvular action. Ten case histories with valve photographs illustrate the significance of thickening of the valve cusps, fusion of the commissures, and loss of tissue at the cusp margin. Any one change may predominate or they may all contribute to the functional abnormality. Valvular action studies are also presented in a companion color movie available through the American Heart Association, New York 10, New York.