Datt, VishnuDiwakar, AnithaMalik, IndraGeelani, M ATomar, A SVirmani, Sanjula2014-04-292014-04-292014-04Datt Vishnu, Diwakar Anitha, Malik Indra, Geelani M A, Tomar A S, Virmani Sanjula. Healed perivalvular abscess: Incidental finding on transthoracic echocardiography. Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia. 2014 Apr; 17(2): 141-144.http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/150314A 36‑year‑old male patient presented with the complaints of palpitations and breathlessness. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed a bicuspid aortic valve; severe aortic regurgitation with dilated left ventricle (LV) and mild LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 50%). He was scheduled to undergo aortic valve replacement. History was not suggestive of infective endocarditis (IE). Preoperative TTE did not demonstrate any aortic perivalvular abscess. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination using the mid‑esophageal (ME) long‑axis view, showed an abscess cavity affecting the aortic valve, which initially was assumed to be a dissection flap, but later confirmed to be an abscess cavity by color Doppler examination. The ME aortic valve short‑axis view showed two abscesses; one was at the junction of the non‑coronary and left coronary commissure and the other one above the right coronary cusp. Intraoperatively, these findings were confirmed by the surgeons. The case report demonstrates the superiority of TEE over TTE in diagnosing perivalvular abscesses.enAortic valve replacementInfective endocarditisPerivalvular abscessTransesophageal echocardiographyTransthoracic echocardiographyAbscess --diganosisAbscess --ultrasonographyAdultAortic Valve --surgeryEchocardiography --methodsEchocardiography, Transesophageal --methodsEndocarditis, Bacterial --complicationsHeart Valve Diseases --diagnosisHeart Valve Diseases --ultrasonographyHumansMaleProsthesis-Related Infections --complicationsArticle