Double cardiac pseudoaneurysm in a postoperative patient

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Cardiac Imaging
• Medical Complications

Background:

• Mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa pseudoaneurysms are rare, particularly after aortic and mitral valve replacement and aortic root replacement.
• Left ventricular pseudoaneurysms are also infrequent complications following mitral valve replacement.

Observation:

• A 48-year-old woman presented with a history of a Bentall operation and mitral valve replacement six years prior.
• Transesophageal echocardiography revealed the presence of double pseudoaneurysms.

Findings:

• The patient was diagnosed with pseudoaneurysms in both the left ventricle and the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa.
• This dual pseudoaneurysm formation represents a rare post-operative complication.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering rare pseudoaneurysm formations in patients with a history of complex cardiac surgeries.
• Advanced imaging modalities like transesophageal echocardiography are crucial for diagnosing such uncommon complications.
• Awareness of these potential sequelae can aid in timely diagnosis and management of patients post-valve and aortic root replacement.