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Unusual Cause of Heart Failure in a 65‐Year‐Old Woman
Author(s) -
Tomescu Mirela,
Rusinaru Dan,
MutVitcu Bogdan,
Cocora Mioara,
Mavrea Adelina,
Citu Ioana,
Dragulescu Stefan Iosif
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2008.00759.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pseudoaneurysm , heart failure , complication , cardiology , asymptomatic , myocardial infarction , mitral regurgitation , surgery , infective endocarditis , heart aneurysm , heart rupture , endocarditis
Left ventricular (LV) free wall rupture is a potentially lethal mechanical complication after myocardial infarction (MI). Pericardial adhesions or slow extracardiac leak and pericardial inflammation may result in a contained cardiac rupture. LV pseudoaneurysm is a relatively uncommon clinical entity. It may occur after MI, but also as a complication of infective endocarditis, cardiac surgery, or trauma. Patients developing LV pseudoaneurysm after MI may present angina pectoris or signs of congestive heart failure (HF) but often are asymptomatic. Surgery is the treatment of choice for LV pseudoaneurysms diagnosed in the first months after MI. The management of chronic LV pseudoaneurysms is still subject of debate. This report highlights a 65‐year‐old patient newly hospitalized for acute decompensated HF who was diagnosed with a large chronic LV pseudoaneurysm and severe mitral regurgitation. The patient underwent successful resection of the pseudoaneurysm and patch repair of the ruptured ventricular wall.