ALTHOUGH it has been a century and a quarter since the first published account by Hope in 1839 ^1,2 of a ruptured congenital aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva, there have been fewer than 100 cases of congenital aortic sinus aneurysms reported in the medical literature.³ Except for the work of Edwards et al,^4,5 detailed description of the histopathology of the lesion is lacking. The incidence of acquired aortic sinus aneurysms is more difficult to determine from the literature, but the general impression gained is that the acquired type is even more rare. Recently, we have had the opportunity of seeing two patients, admitted within 14 days of each other, in whom the diagnosis of aortic sinus aneurysm was later confirmed by autopsy. Both because of the rarity of this condition and the paucity of detailed histologic studies, these cases are being presented.

Report of CasesÌý

Case 1.Ìý