Necrotizing granulomata of the aortic valve in Wegener's disease.

Wegener's disease is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, characterized by a granulomatous-necrotizing general vasculitis. Cardiac involvement in the form of aortic pathology is not frequent. We report a case of Wegener's granulomatosis which required prosthetic aortic valve replacement for aortic valve insufficiency. Microscopic examination of the valve demonstrated histopathology typical of Wegener's disease.