Surgery for a quadricuspid aortic valve: case report and comprehensive review of the literature.

Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare cardiac anomaly which can present with clinically significant regurgitation. The case is presented of a 38-year-old female patient with a regurgitant QAV managed surgically. A review of the current literature relating to QAV is also provided. The most common valve type that is operated on is type B, thus separating the surgical population from that of all QAVs, in which type A is most common. Moreover, aortic aneurysms were found to be a common and previously unrecognized significant characteristic among QAV patients. The majority of patients with a regurgitant QAV undergo replacement, although repairs have recently gained popularity. To date, the outcomes for both groups appear similar.