Massive left atrial appendage aneurysm presenting as supraventricular tachycardia

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Cardiac Surgery

Background:

• Left atrial appendage aneurysm is a rare cardiac anomaly.
• Often asymptomatic in childhood, it can present with serious complications like systemic embolization or arrhythmias.
• Diagnosis is frequently incidental or prompted by symptoms in adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of massive left atrial appendage aneurysm in a pediatric patient.
• To highlight the diagnostic modalities and successful surgical management of this condition in a child.
• To increase awareness of this rare entity in pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 12-year-old male with symptomatic left atrial appendage aneurysm.
• Diagnostic workup included transthoracic echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and left atriogram.
• Surgical resection was performed for definitive treatment.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with effort intolerance and supraventricular arrhythmia.
• Transthoracic echocardiography confirmed a massive left atrial appendage aneurysm.
• Imaging and diagnostic procedures facilitated surgical planning and resection.

Conclusions:

• Left atrial appendage aneurysm, though rare, can manifest with significant symptoms in children.
• Multimodality imaging is crucial for diagnosis and surgical planning.
• Surgical resection is an effective treatment for symptomatic left atrial appendage aneurysms in pediatric patients.