Aortic valve replacement in Cogan's syndrome

Abstract

Cogan's syndrome is a systemic vasculitis of autoimmunologic origin. Themain disturbances involve the eye, the ear and the heart, but many otherstructures can also be affected. Nonspecific abnormal laboratory findingsare also present. The disease usually involves a cranial nerve, followed byaortitis which can affect the aortic valve and, more rarely, the cusps ofthe valve. Aortic lesions strongly influence the course of the disease andtherefore the prognosis. When choosing the type of valve replacement,long-term corticosteroid therapy and the age and sex of the patient must betaken into account.