Case Report
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World J Clin Cases. Oct 16, 2014; 2(10): 581-586
Published online Oct 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i10.581
Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm formation: Two cases and review of the literature
Emmanouil Petrou, Vasiliki Vartela, Anna Kostopoulou, Panagiota Georgiadou, Irene Mastorakou, Nektarios Kogerakis, Petros Sfyrakis, George Athanassopoulos, George Karatasakis
Emmanouil Petrou, Vasiliki Vartela, Anna Kostopoulou, Panagiota Georgiadou, George Athanassopoulos, George Karatasakis, Division of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, GR-17674 Athens, Greece
Irene Mastorakou, Imaging Department, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, GR-17674 Athens, Greece
Nektarios Kogerakis, Petros Sfyrakis, Third Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation Services, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, GR-17674 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: Petrou E and Vartela V designed and wrote the paper; Kostopoulou A designed the paper; Georgiadou P collected the patients’ clinical data; Mastorakou I performed and assessed the computed tomography images; Kogerakis N and Sfirakis P operated the one of the two patients described; Athanassopoulos G and Karatasakis G first diagnosed the nosological entity described and drafted the manuscript and revised it critically for important intellectual content.
Correspondence to: Emmanouil Petrou, MD, Division of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, 356 Sygrou Ave., Kallithea, GR-17674 Athens, Greece. emmgpetrou@hotmail.com
Telephone: +30-21-09493000 Fax: +30-21-02751028
Received: April 17, 2014
Revised: June 21, 2014
Accepted: July 25, 2014
Published online: October 16, 2014
Abstract

Left ventricular wall rupture (LVWR) comprises a complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Acute LVWR is a fatal condition, unless the formation of a pseudoaneurysm occurs. Several risk factors have been described, predisposing to LVWR. High index of suspicion and imaging techniques, namely echocardiography and computed tomography, are the cornerstones of timely diagnosis of the condition. As LVWR usually leads to death, emergency surgery is the treatment of choice, resulting in significant reduction in mortality and providing favorable short-term outcomes and adequate prognosis during late follow-up. Herein, we present two patients who were diagnosed with LVWR following AMI, and subsequent pseudoaneurysm formation. In parallel, we review the aforementioned condition.

Keywords: Pseudoaneurysm, Left ventricle rupture, Myocardial infarction

Core tip: Ventricular wall rupture (LVWR) comprises a complication of acute myocardial infarction. Acute LVWR is a fatal condition, unless the formation of a pseudoaneurysm occurs.