Abstract
We report about a 78-year-old woman with severe aortic valve stenosis
(AS). She had heavily calcified and thickened aortic valve leaflets with
black pigmentation. After excision of the aortic valve leaflets,
biological aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed. Alkaptonuria
was diagnosed and confirmed based on increased urinary excretion of
homogentisic acid. She has had no cardiovascular system-related symptoms
for 3 years and no evidence of structural valve deterioration. Data on
the long-term outcomes of AVR associated with structural valve
deterioration that could regulate prosthetic valve selection in
alkaptonuria are limited. Therefore, further research on the natural
evolution of AS and the rate of structural valve deterioration after AVR
is needed to provide an optimal prosthesis for these patients.