Key result
Cardiac CT and MRI successfully identified an impending left ventricular rupture, guiding emergency surgical repair that resulted in the patient's survival and good condition at 2-year follow-up.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Cardiac CT and MRI can successfully identify and guide the surgical management of rare, life-threatening subepicardial aneurysms following acute myocardial infarction.
May support CT/MRI in suspected post-MI subepicardial aneurysm; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
We report the case of a 67 year-old patient who presented with worsening chest pain and shortness of breath, four days post acute myocardial infarction. Contrast enhanced computed tomography of the chest ruled out a pulmonary embolus but revealed an unexpected small subepicardial aneurysm (SEA) in the lateral left ventricular wall which was confirmed on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Intraoperative palpation of the left lateral wall was guided by the cardiac MRI and CT findings and confirmed the presence of focally thinned and weakened myocardium, covered by epicardial fat. An aneurysmorrhaphy was subsequently performed in addition to coronary bypass surgery and a mitral valve repair. The patient was discharged home on post operative day eight in good condition and is feeling well 2 years after surgery.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Vogel‐Claussen et al. (2009) conducted a case report in Impending left ventricular rupture after acute myocardial infarction (n=1). Cardiac CT and MRI guided surgery was evaluated on Patient outcome. Cardiac CT and MRI successfully identified an impending left ventricular rupture, guiding emergency surgical repair that resulted in the patient's survival and good condition at 2-year follow-up.
Synapse has enriched 2 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: