The aortic valve, located at the beginning of the aorta, opens and closes to regulate blood flow into the aorta.
Stenosis means narrowing.
The left ventricle works harder to pump blood past the obstructed valve into the aorta. With time, the extra work may stress the left ventricle, causing it to enlarge. Many children with aortic stenosis have no symptoms. If the stenosis is mild, surgery may not be needed. If an infant has severe stenosis, they can develop rapid heart rate, rapid breathing and poor feeding.