Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Sinus of Valsalva
Introduction
Synonyms and keywords: Petit’s sinus; sinus of Mehta; sinus of Morgagni; sinus of Otto; sinus of Valsalva; Valsalva sinus
Overview
Overview
The aortic sinus is a section of the ascending aorta that is normally dilated (enlarged or widened) just above the aortic valve.
There are generally three aortic sinuses, the left, the right and the posterior.
- The left aortic sinus gives rise to the left coronary artery.
- The right aortic sinus gives rise to the right coronary artery.
- Usually, no vessels arise from the posterior aortic sinus, which is therefore known as the non-coronary sinus.
Shown below is a drawing depicting the aortic sinus anatomy. Note that the aortic sinus has three cusps: the left coronary cusp, the right coronary cusp and the non coronary cusp.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]