My mom just went to DR and will have open heart next Thursday for removal of anyerisum. She was told she has 2 heart valves instead of four. What does this mean? Is it normal?
Your mom probably has a Bicuspid aortic valve, that she was born with.. it means that the valve between her heart and the aorta has two valve leaflets instead of the usual three valve leaflets (not four) in normal people. Bicuspid aortic valve is caused by fusion of two of the three leaflets. It's a fairly common congenital condition, and is associated with a risk of aortic aneurysm (a weakening of the wall of the blood vessel which then causes ballooning of the vessel wall)...usually of the ascending aorta. All the best for her safe recovery.
