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Published on: November 21, 2019
Cardiac pseudoaneurysms: a clinical case series
Grace Alexander1, Mahi L Ashwath2
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Insights
Cardiac pseudoaneurysms are rare but life-threatening heart conditions. Multi-modality imaging aids in diagnosing and managing these diverse pathologies, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cardiac pseudoaneurysms present with varied, non-specific symptoms.
- They are rare but potentially fatal cardiac pathologies.
Observation:
- Presents three distinct cases of cardiac pseudoaneurysms.
- Case 1: Traumatic left ventricular pseudoaneurysm in a young woman.
- Case 2: Post-myocardial infarction pseudoaneurysm in an elderly man.
- Case 3: Pseudoaneurysm in the left ventricular outflow tract post-aortic valve replacement.
Findings:
- Highlights differing risk factors and presentations of cardiac pseudoaneurysms.
- Emphasizes the crucial role of multi-modality imaging in diagnosis.
- Demonstrates improved diagnostic capabilities with advanced imaging techniques.
Implications:
- Timely diagnosis of cardiac pseudoaneurysms is critical for effective management.
- Advanced imaging facilitates differentiation from other cardiac conditions.
- Improved diagnostic accuracy leads to prompt and appropriate patient care.
Background:
Cardiac pseudoaneurysms are a potentially life-threatening pathology with a variety of non-specific clinical manifestations. This case series uniquely shares a collection of rare pathologies with differing preceding risk factors and presentations, with an emphasis on the utility of multi-modality imaging in diagnosis and management.
Case Summary:
We present three cases of cardiac pseudoaneurysms. Case 1 is a 27-year-old woman with delayed presentation of a traumatic left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVP). Case 2 is a 73-year-old man with post-myocardial infarction LVP. Case 3 is a 38-year-old man with left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm after aortic valve replacement.
Discussion:
Cardiac pseudoaneurysms are rare and important to diagnose in a timely manner. Advances in non-invasive imaging modalities have improved our ability to distinguish pseudoaneurysms from other pathologies, leading to more timely management.
Related Concept Videos
Aortic Regurgitation I: Introduction
Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Introduction Cardiac Emergencies
Aneurysm I: Introduction
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care

