Hemoptysis following left ventricular aneurysm repair: a misleading clinical sign

We report on a 66-year-old man with severe hemoptysis following coronary artery bypass grafting and repair of a left ventricular septal defect after acute myocardial infarction. Initial diagnosis was delayed by misleading clinical symptoms and radiologic studies. Due to subfebrile temperature and sputum culture positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, he had been treated with antibiotics before reoperation. At reoperation, replacement of all foreign material and reconstruction of the ventricular repair with bovine pericardium resulted in reinfection with the same organism despite prolonged antibiotic therapy after 6 months. Removal of the pericardial tissue with direct suture closure of the ventricles and interposition of omentum led to complete healing of the infection without reoccurrence after 2 years.