Clinical Profile and Outcome in 52 Patients with Cardiac Pseudoaneurysm

Abstract

A substantial number of patients with pseudoaneurysm are asymptomatic. Although surgical repair is the treatment of choice, conservative management in selected patients with increased surgical risk seems reasonable because no deaths were caused by further rupture.

An Incidentally Detected Right Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm

“…They differ from true aneurysms as their walls do not contain myocardial tissue and they are connected to the ventricle by a small neck (rather than forming as a broad-based outpouching). Differentiation of the two is of paramount importance for management, however, as false aneurysms have a significantly higher propensity for fatal rupture [1,2]. This complication, conversely, has not yet been reported in the right ventricle: it is unclear if this fact is related to lower right-sided pressures (and, accordingly, wall stress) or to simple epidemiological incidence [3].…”

“…Cardiac pseudoaneurysms are a rupture of a blood vessel or myocardial wall that is contained by pericardium, thrombus, or adhesions [1]. They differ from true aneurysms as their walls do not contain myocardial tissue and they are connected to the ventricle by a small neck (rather than forming as a broad-based outpouching).…”

Double pseudoaneurysm, recurrent subvalvular aortic membrane and small left ventricular outflow tract in the same patient: who dares?

“…Our patient had an infrequent site of both pseudoaneurysms, which were related to the aortic annulus, below the implanted prosthesis. This location has been associated with aortic wall weakness but also with problems in suture technique (4,6). In order to be able to resect both pseudoaneurysms it was necessary to remove the previously implanted prosthesis.…”

Six-year follow-up of a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm without surgical repair

“…If the surgical risk is considered high, conservative management, including pericardiocentesis, may be an option (9,10). Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that the extent of an LV pseudoaneurysm may be limited by pre-existing pericardial adhesion, resulting in the development of a fibrin cap such that a thrombotic occlusion of the myocardial leak may occur (11).…”