Delayed presentation of injury to the sinus of valsalva with aortic regurgitation resulting from penetrating cardiac wounds

A 39-year-old man had attempted to commit suicide using a small knife to penetrate the anterior chest wall. An emergency operation was performed successfully to repair the penetrating cardiac injury of the right ventricular outflow tract without using cardiopulmonary bypass. Two years after the operation, he was complained of dyspnea and a continuous murmur was detected. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization revealed aorto-right ventricular fistula in the sinus of valsalva with aortic regurgitation. In operation, the healed laceration of the right coronary cusp and the fistula between aorta and right ventricle were identified. The fistula was closed using a Dacron patch and the aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical valve. Longterm follow-up of penetrating thoracic injuries is important for detecting underlying intracardiac lesions.