[Congenital partial pericardial defect of the left atrial appendage (author's transl)]

Congenital partial pericardial defect with herniation of the left atrial appendage is a rare anomaly. Clinical appearance of a 25 years old man with this anomaly is described. Although the physical examination showed no pathological signs and the routine laboratory data were within normal limits, the chest X ray showed a prominent shadow of the left cardiac border; the cineangiocardiographic findings revealed that the prominence was due to a large left atrial appendage. Since strangulation of the left atrial appendage is a well known and described potential hazard; thoracic surgery was performed without any complication.