A rare cause of sudden dyspnea and unexpected death in adolescence: fistula from aortic sinus of Valsalva to right atrium.

Aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva is a rare cardiac abnormality. Unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is usually asymptomatic, however, a ruptured aneurysm typically leads to an aortocardiac shunt and progressively worsening heart failure. We report a case of a 17-year-old male who suffered an aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva rupture into the right atrium who manifested sudden dyspnea and acute heart failure.