Bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) affect around 1-2% of the normal population and can be classified due to their number of raphes. Around half of patients with BAV develop a dilatation of the ascending aorta, which itself can vary in form and extension. There is an ongoing debate with regard to genetic and/or hemodynamic causes of the aortic dilatation. So far, it is not clear whether regurgitant BAVs are associated in the same way with aortic dilatation as stenotic BAV.

Patients with BAV are at risk not only due to their valve pathology but also because of the potential risk of aortic rupture or dissection. It is therefore of major clinical relevance to adequately control these patients. Understanding the molecular and cells events that are responsible for the development of BAV and its correlation with aortic dilatation will have important implications on therapeutic and surgical treatment of this patient population.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles, covering the whole spectrum of BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta. We are particularly interested in articles focusing on basic research, flow dynamics, imaging, BAV and the dilated ascending aorta in connective tissue disorders, BAV and the dilated ascending aorta in children, medical treatment, followup, natural history studies, as well as surgical techniques. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Genetic abnormalities in patients with BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta
• Cellular mechanism of calcification in BAV
• Anatomy and pathology of bicuspid aortic valves
• Natural course of patients with BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta
• Imaging (MRI, CT scan, ECHO)
• Various types of BAV in correlation to dilatation of the ascending aorta
• Flow dynamics
• Relation of BAV to dilatation of the ascending aorta
• BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta in children
• Aortopathy in patients with BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta
• BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta in Marfan Syndrome, Turner Syndrome
• Medical treatment
• Indications for surgery and followup
• Surgical techniques for BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta
• Valve preserving procedures in patients with BAV and dilatation of the ascending aorta

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crp/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: