Concealed left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the presence of acute left ventricular volume overload - A case report

We report a patient in whom hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with both left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction, was masked by acute severe aortic regurgitation and marked left ventricular dilation. Upon admission, 1) two-dimensional echocardiogram of the left ventricle revealed a dynamic and flail vegetation on the aortic right coronary cusp and marked left ventricular dilation, 2) a massive aortic regurgitant signal was recorded by color Doppler flow imaging, and 3) transmitral flow velocity by pulsed Doppler echocardiogram revealed a pseudonormalization. However, symmetric hypertrophy of the left ventricular wall, a decrease in early diastolic wave and a compensatory increase in atrial systolic wave of the transmitral flow velocity appeared after successful aortic valve replacement.