Impending Rupture of a Blunt Trauma-Induced Left Ventricular Aneurysm: Report of a Case

Abstract

Most left ventricular true aneurysms that occur secondary to blunt trauma gradually become symptomatic as they enlarge, which validates conservative management as a reasonable initial course of action. We report a case of impending rupture of a left ventricular true aneurysm that showed rapid expansion within a few weeks. A 17-year-old youth was involved in a head-on collision into a car while riding a motorcycle. He underwent repair of a ruptured jejunum and internal fixation of a fractured femur; 28 days after the accident, he was transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. His chest X-ray just before the transfer was normal. He was re-admitted to our hospital 58 days after the accident complaining of anterior chest pain and dyspnea. Echocardiography showed impending rupture of a left ventricular aneurysm. We performed emergency open repair of a left ventricular true aneurysm with a very thin wall. We report this case to show that even a true aneurysm of the left ventricle should be carefully monitored from the early stage, considering the possibility of rupture.