Full-Scale 3D Printing as a Guide to Right Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm Due to Chronic Pacemaker Lead Erosion

Ventricular pseudoaneurysm formation due to longstanding lead erosion is rare, and standardized guidelines for diagnosis and management are limited.

We present a case of a right ventricular pseudoaneurysm noted on computed tomography after a patient with a pacemaker, originally placed in 2013, was admitted for respiratory failure. PolyJet three-dimensional printing was employed to assist in presurgical planning and evaluating the spatial anatomic relationship of the lead to the ventricular outpouching. The pseudoaneurysm was eventually excised, and the myocardial defect was closed.

Pseudoaneurysms lack both standardized clinical presentations and management guidelines, making diagnosis challenging. Imaging is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Cardiac-gated computed tomography is particularly valuable in diagnosing right ventricular pseudoaneurysms when other imaging modalities are technically challenging or inconclusive. Three-dimensional printing enhances the diagnosis of and preoperative planning for rare conditions such as pseudoaneurysms.