Dissection of the aortic root presenting as a double aortic valve.

We report a case of aortic root dissection in a middle-aged male without history of recent trauma, presenting as a critical aortic regurgitation due to right cusp dislodgement. The intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram revealed the "double aortic valve" sign suggestive of low dissection, which proved to extend to both coronary arteries.

Mitral valve repair: beyond the French correction.

Introduction: We analysed retrospectively patients who underwent mitral valve repair using techniques beyond the "French correction", as popularised by Carpentier.

Methods: From June 1997 to June 2006, 153 patients underwent mitral valve repair. Their mean age was 63.