Post-traumatic left ventricular aneurysm with massive hemopericardium in a child presenting 3 years after a fall

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Wei-Ting Lai1, Shan-Miao Lin, Shyr-Jao Wu

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Pediatrics and Neonatology
|April 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

A childhood fall caused a left ventricular aneurysm in a 7-year-old boy. Surgical intervention successfully treated the aneurysm and hemopericardium, highlighting the need for monitoring after blunt chest trauma.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatric Traumatology
  • Thoracic Surgery

Background:

  • Blunt chest trauma in children can lead to delayed cardiac complications.
  • Left ventricular aneurysms are rare but serious sequelae of significant thoracic injury.

Observation:

  • A 7-year-old boy presented with chest tightness and abdominal pain 3 years after a fall.
  • Initial trauma resulted in neurological sequelae and was attributed to a fall from a fourth-floor window.
  • Clinical presentation included marked cardiomegaly, massive pericardial effusion, and a large left ventricular aneurysm.

Findings:

  • Surgical drainage of massive hemopericardium was performed.
  • Resection of the left ventricular aneurysm was successfully achieved under cardiopulmonary bypass.
  • The patient was discharged one week post-operation with an uneventful recovery.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of vigilant, long-term clinical follow-up for pediatric patients with blunt chest trauma.
  • Routine imaging, such as chest X-ray or echocardiography, is recommended for monitoring potential cardiac complications like ventricular aneurysms.
  • Delayed presentation of cardiac sequelae necessitates awareness among clinicians managing pediatric trauma.

Keywords:
childhemopericardiumleft ventricular aneurysmtrauma

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