Bicuspid Aortic ValveSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Bicuspid Aortic Valve
A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an aortic valve that only has two leaflets, instead of three.
The aortic valve regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta. The aorta is the major blood vessel that brings oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Bicommissural aortic valve; Valvular disease - bicuspid aortic valve; BAV
The aortic valve allows oxygen-rich blood to flow from the heart to the aorta. It prevents the blood from flowing back from the aorta into the heart when the pumping chamber relaxes.
BAV is present at birth (congenital). An abnormal aortic valve develops during the early weeks of pregnancy, when the baby's heart is developing. The cause of this problem is unclear, but it is the most common congenital heart defect. BAV often runs in families.
A BAV may not be completely effective at stopping blood from leaking back into the heart. This leakage is called aortic regurgitation. The aortic valve may also become stiff and not open up. This is called aortic stenosis, which causes the heart to pump harder than usual to get blood through the valve. The aorta may become enlarged with this condition.
BAV is more common among males than females.
A BAV often exists in babies with coarctation of the aorta (narrowing of the aorta). BAV is also seen in diseases in which there is a blockage to blood flow on the left side of the heart.
Most of the time, BAV is not diagnosed in infants or children because it causes no symptoms. However, the abnormal valve can leak or become narrow over time.
Symptoms of such complications may include:
- Baby or child tires easily
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid and irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- Loss of consciousness (fainting)
- Pale skin (pallor)
If a baby has other congenital heart problems, they may cause symptoms that will lead to the discovery of a BAV.
Your infant or child may need surgery to repair or replace a leaky or narrowed valve, if complications are severe.
A narrowed valve can also be opened through cardiac catheterization. A fine tube (catheter) is directed to the heart and into the narrow opening of the aortic valve. A balloon attached to the end of the tube is inflated to make the opening of the valve larger.
In adults, when a bicuspid valve becomes very leaky or very narrowed, it may need to be replaced. This used to be possible only with open heart surgery but can now sometimes be done via catheters.
Sometimes the aorta may also need to be repaired if it has become too wide or is too narrow.
Medicine may be needed to relieve symptoms or prevent complications. Medicines may include:
- Medicines that lower the workload on the heart (beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors)
- Medicines that make the heart muscle pump harder (inotropic agents)
- Water pills (diuretics)
LVH Cardiac And Thoracic Surgery-1250 Cedar Crest
Joseph Bavaria is a Thoracic Surgeon and a Cardiologist practicing medicine in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Bavaria is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. He is also highly rated in 22 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Heart Valve Repair. Dr. Bavaria is board certified in Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and American Board Of Thoracic Surgery-Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery - Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr. Bavaria is currently accepting new patients.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Lars Svensson is a Thoracic Surgeon practicing medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Svensson is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. He is also highly rated in 24 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Aortic Regurgitation, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). Dr. Svensson is currently accepting new patients.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Eric Roselli is a Thoracic Surgeon practicing medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Roselli is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Bicuspid Aortic Valve. He is also highly rated in 29 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Aortic Dissection, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Heart Valve Repair. Dr. Roselli is board certified in American Board Of Thoracic Surgery, 2006. Dr. Roselli is currently accepting new patients.
How well the person does depends on the presence and severity of complications of BAV.
The presence of other physical problems at birth also can affect how well a person does.
Most babies with this condition have no symptoms, and the problem is not diagnosed until they are adults. Some people never find out that they have this problem.
Complications of BAV include:
- Heart failure
- Leakage of blood through the valve back into the heart
- Narrowing of the valve's opening
- Infection of the heart muscle or aortic valve
Contact your child's provider if your baby:
- Has no appetite
- Has unusually pale or bluish skin
- Seems to tire easily
BAV runs in families. If you know of this condition in your family, speak to your provider before becoming pregnant. There is no known way to prevent the condition.
Summary: The study is a multicenter, randomized superiority trial of standard of care therapies for severe aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). The two primary comparators in this study are: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR). TAVR is a minimally invasive transcatheter procedure to treat aortic valve disease.. SAVR is ...
Summary: The goal of this study is to learn what effects the ABC Bicuspid Sizing Algorithm has on the clinical outcomes of patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis after having a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the Sapien 3 valve. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1. Does the ABC Bicuspid Sizing Algorithm increase the technical success at exit from the procedure room? 2. Do...
Published Date: June 01, 2026
Published By: Thomas S. Metkus, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Fraser CD, Vricella LA, Cameron DE. Aortopathies in pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery. In: Wernovsky G, Anderson RH, Kumar K, et al, eds. Anderson's Pediatric Cardiology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 58.
Isselbacher EM, Preventza O, Black JH 3rd, et al. 2022 ACC/AHA guideline for the diagnosis and management of aortic disease: a report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2022:146(24):e334-e482. PMID: 36322642 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36322642/.
Michelena HI, Rodríguez-Palomares JF, Corte AD. The bicuspid aortic valve and associated aortic disease. In: Otto CM, Lindman BR, eds. Valvular Heart Disease: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2027:chap 10.
Nazif TM, Leon MB, Mack MJ. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, et al, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026: chap 70.