Acute Ischemic Stroke in a Patient with a Native Valvular Strand

Valvular strands are known to be a potential source of cardioembolism but the natural history of native valvular strands has not yet been fully outlined. We report a case of ischemic stroke in a patient with a native valvular strand of the aortic valve and the patient's clinical course. A previously healthy 21-year-old man suffered acute cerebral infarction in the right posterior cerebral artery territory. On echocardiography, there was a strand-like, oscillating mass on the left coronary cusp of the aortic valve. The patient received 100 mg aspirin daily and the valvular strand was not found on subsequent transthoracic echocardiography performed 10 days after the first examination. Serial echocardiographic examinations have been performed since the stroke and failed to find any abnormality. The patient did not suffer a recurrent stroke over a 3-year follow-up period.