Aortic Valve - Acquired

In Aortic Stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve creating obstruction to the outflow of blood from the left ventricle. Rheumatic aortic stenosis is common in developed coountries. In rheumatic stenosis there is thickening of the cusps and fusion of the valve commissures secondary to healing and scarring of the inflammatory infiltrates present in the valve during the acute phase of the disease.
 

In the example shown below there is marked calcifiction of the cusps of the valve as seen from the ventricular side of the aortic valve. The yellow nodules in the aortic cusps are calcium deposits.