Bicuspid Aortic Valve among Children Presenting in Two Health Institutions in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Background: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect. However, this is under-reported. It is not without associated cardiac anomalies.

Aim: This study was aimed at documenting the prevalence of BAV in two referral health institutions and to determine the various types and associated cardiac anomalies.

Methods: This was a descriptive study carried out in two referral health institutions. One thousand and five echocardiography was carried out in children with suspected cardiac diseases over a nine-year period.

Results: Data was analyzed with IBM statistical software version 20. The prevalence of children with BAV is 1.7%. The most common type of BAV is the presence of left coronary and non-coronary sinuses. The most common associated lesion among children with BAV is atrial septal defect 7 (41.2%), followed by significant tricuspid regurgitation three (17.7%) and aortic stenosis three (17.7%). The mean cardiac structure diameters were not different when compared with age- and gender-matched controls (Children without BAV).

Conclusion: Though BAV is the most common congenital heart disease, its rarity is proven in this study. It is also noteworthy that the cardiac defect is associated with valvar anomalies.