Free wall rupture of the left ventricle (LV) is a rare but life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infaction. Very rarely such rupture may be contained by the adhering pericardium creating a pseudoaneurysm. This condition warrants for an emergency surgery. Left ventricular aneurysm is the discrete thinning of the ventricular wall (<5 mm) with akinetic or dyskinetic wall motion causing an out-pouching of the ventricle. Given the propensity for pseudoaneurysms to rupture leading to cardiac tamponade, shock, and death, compared with a more benign natural history for true aneurysms, accurate diagnosis of these conditions is important. True aneurysm, usually, calls for an elective surgery. Clinically differentiating the two conditions remains a challenge. We report the case of a patient with LV pseudoaneurysm, initially diagnosed as true aneurysm at our institution. We have attempted to review the existing literature and discussed the characteristic findings of each entity.

The venous anomaly of a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) affects 0.3%–0.5% of the general population. PLSVC with absent right superior vena cava, also termed as “isolated PLSVC,” is an extremely rare venous anomaly. Almost half of the patients with isolated PLSVC have cardiac anomalies in the form of atrial septal defect, endocardial cushion defects, or tetralogy of Fallot. Isolated PLSVC is usually innocuous. Its discovery, however, has important clinical implications. It can pose clinical difficulties with central venous access, cardiothoracic surgeries, and pacemaker implantation. When it drains to the left atrium, it may create a right to left shunt. In this case report, we present the incidental finding of isolated PLSVC in a patient who underwent aortic valve replacement. Awareness about this condition and its variations is important to avoid complications.

We describe a successful perioperative management of a case of 38-year-old male, presented with chronic jaundice with severe mitral stenosis and moderate tricuspid regurgitation; upon evaluation, he was found to have severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Usually, patients deficient in G6PD exhibit increased hemolysis and therefore increased need for blood transfusion after cardiac surgery as well as impaired oxygenation in the postoperative period leading to prolonged ventilation. On reperfusion after a period of ischemia, the antioxidant system recruits all of its components in an attempt to neutralize the overwhelming oxidative stress of free radicals, as the free radical scavenging system is deficient in these patients, the chances of free-radical-induced injury is more. Our patient underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty under cardiopulmonary bypass with necessary precautions to reduce the formation of free radicals. Treatment was targeted toward the prevention of free radical injury in the G6PD-deficient patient. He had an uneventful intraoperative and postoperative course.

One of the dreaded mechanical complications of mitral valve replacement (MVR) is rupture of the left ventricle (LV). This report describes the early diagnosis and successful repair of rupture of posterior wall of LV in an elderly patient who underwent MVR. We have discussed the risk factors and perioperative issues implicated in such complication. The anesthesiologist as an intra-operative echocardiographer can aid in identifying the patient at risk. Though important surgical steps are necessary to prevent the complication; nonetheless, the anesthesiologist needs to take key measures in the perioperative period.