Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm and ventricular septal defect following left circumflex distribution myocardial infarction

Case contributed by Stefan Tigges
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Three days of chest pain and shortness of breath.

Patient Data

Age: 60 years
Gender: Male

Impella device and pulmonary artery catheter appropriately positioned, no pneumothorax. Small posteriorly layering right pleural effusion, mild pulmonary edema.

Decreased perfusion of the inferior and inferior septal walls. Defect inferior and lateral left ventricular wall with adjacent irregular outpouching indicating pseudoaneurysm. Muscular ventricular septal defect involving the inferior septum. Small pericardial effusion with increased density fluid, likely hemopericardium.

The coronary arteries arise normally with left coronary artery dominance. There is a stent in the left circumflex artery stent, with moderate LAD and left circumflex artery calcifications.

Bilateral moderate pleural effusions.

Case Discussion

Pseudoaneurysms and ventricular septal defects uncommonly occur after myocardial infarction. This patient was unfortunate and had both, but was treated and survived. The involvement of both the lateral ventricular wall (pseudoaneurysm) and the inferior septum (VSD) is likely a consequence of ischemia in the distribution of a dominant circumflex coronary.

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