Project description:BackgroundRadiofrequency catheter ablation is approved effective therapy for premature ventricular contraction. However, the rare but serious complication such as pseudoaneurysm should be given more attention. It is life-threatening due to the high risk of rupture. Only few cases have been reported in the literature. We herein report a huge acute left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after catheter ablation therapy.Case presentationA 69-year-old man underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation for premature ventricular contraction at a local hospital. The patient developed shock the second day after ablation. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis was performed, and the puncture fluid was a bloody pericardial effusion. The transthoracic echocardiogram revealed an 9- × 4-cm giant pseudoaneurysm with a cystic structure in the left ventricular inferior wall near the mitral annulus along the left atrium. The pseudoaneurysm was connected to the left ventricular cavity through a 8-mm neck, and the lumen was filled with systolic and diastolic blood flow. The patient underwent three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. The pseudoaneurysm and the tract was clearly visible. Emergency surgery was performed to resect the pseudoaneurysm. A bovine pericardial patch was placed on the neck of the pseudoaneurysm. Echocardiographic examination confirmed the absence of cardiac lesions after the operation.ConclusionsIt is rare to see such a large pseudoaneurysm after radiofrequency catheter ablation. Clinicians should be allert to the potential risks to patients in the process of an effective treatment. Echocardiography plays an important role in the prompt diagnosis and prognosis of this disease. Emergency surgery is a better method for treatment of huge pseudoaneurysm.
Project description:Left ventricular (LV) rupture after myocardial infarction (MI) occasionally results in formation of LV pseudoaneurysm (LVPA) which is prone to rupture because of its thin wall. However, cases of LVPA without ST changes including segment elevation in electrocardiogram (ECG) are rare. In this case, we describe a patient who had relatively mild symptoms and giant LVPA with no specific ECG changes following MI with a confirmed diagnosis via transthoracic echocardiography. Although surgical treatment options are often recommended, conservative therapy was adopted, following which the patient had been well-medicated using antihypertensive drugs and anticoagulants. <Leaning objectives: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVPA) is usually accompanied by ST segment changes on electrocardiogram (ECG) due to myocardial damage. However, we should take into account a LVPA without ECG specific changes, so echocardiography is better to be considered for an identification. Although many LVPA patients undergo surgery because of risk for rupture, some cases with stable hemodynamic status can have long-term survival with conservative therapy such as anti-hypertension and coagulation.>.
Project description:BackgroundLeft ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVPA) is an infrequent but highly lethal complication of myocardial infarction. Early surgical repair with a resection of pseudoaneurysm is often performed, given that medical therapy alone is associated with a high risk of mortality. This report describes a case of a giant LVPA on the lateral wall post-infarction and mitral valve regurgitation that was successfully treated by surgical transatrial closure and mitral valve replacement.Case summaryA 77-year-old man with chronic kidney disease and a history of percutaneous coronary interventions for acute myocardial infarction was referred to the cardiac surgeons because of a spontaneous finding of an abnormal mass adjacent to the heart on imaging studies, which was missed on a chest radiograph obtained 3 months earlier. Cardiac studies revealed LVPA and severe mitral regurgitation with poor ejection fraction. Early repair of LVPA and concurrent mitral valve surgery were recommended. Transatrial patch closure and mitral valve replacement were performed using an interatrial approach via median sternotomy. Although the patient's post-operative course was complicated by congestive heart failure and irreversible renal failure, he was discharged with good functional status after 1 month of intermittent renal replacement therapy with haemodialysis.DiscussionTransatrial repair of LVPA and concurrent mitral valve replacement can be a treatment of choice for reducing surgical trauma to the left ventricle and protecting the sealing structure from rupture.
Project description:BackgroundLemierre's syndrome is an infectious phenomenon characterized by oropharyngeal infection with bacteraemia, thrombophlebitis, and distant septic emboli. Septic emboli are a recognized cause of a Type 2 myocardial infarction, with a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm being a rare but important complication of this.Case summaryA 19-year-old male presented with acute confusion, fevers, and a cough. Blood cultures were positive for Fusobacterium necrophorum and initial imaging showed a cavitating pneumonia. Further evaluation revealed septic emboli in the distal digits and brain. The patient initially responded to antibiotic therapy but developed chest pain with increased troponin levels. An electrocardiogram showed inferolateral ST elevation. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed hypokinaesia of the mid to apical lateral wall, and a computed tomography (CT) scan showed a pericardial effusion with a possible purulent effusion or abscess. The patient underwent surgical drainage of a sterile effusion. A post-operative TTE and CT demonstrated a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm that was surgically repaired. The venous thrombus was encountered intra-operatively confirming a diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome. The patient completed the regimen of antibiotics and showed a good post-operative recovery.DiscussionThis is the first case described of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm as a complication of Lemierre's syndrome. It highlights not only the importance of serial, multimodality imaging in both diagnostic workup and identification of complications, but also the importance of a multidisciplinary team in the management of patients with complex and rare presentations.
Project description:Coronary artery fistula are anomalous connections with coronary vessels or cardiac chambers, potentially resulting in coronary dilatation and pseudoaneurysm formation. We present the case of a 68-year-old woman referred to our institution for a voluminous coronary pseudoaneurysm secondary to coronary artery fistula presenting as a nearly completely obstructive left atrial mass. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
Project description:Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon complication after transmural myocardial infarction, occurring when a free wall rupture is contained by adhesions of the overlying pericardium preventing acute tamponade. In this report, an unusual case of a 61 year-old male with a giant apical left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after an unnoticed myocardial infarction is presented. On coronary angiogram myocardial bridging of the distal left anterior descending artery was judged to be the infarct related lesion. The echocardiographic diagnosis allowed for a timely surgical intervention which resulted in the patient's full recovery.