The First Description of a Congenital Right Ventricular Cardiac Aneurysm in a Pigeon (Columba livia domestica, Cluj Blue Tumbler Pigeon)

Congenital cardiac aneurysms and diverticula are rare cardiac outpouchings first described in humans. Our paper describes a congenital cardiac aneurysm in the wall of the right ventricle in a pigeon. A number of pigeons (n = 23), Cluj blue tumblers (Aves: Columbiformes: Columbidae: Columba livia domestica), were found dead (accidental poisoning) in October 5, 2011 in Cluj-Napoca, Central Romania. One individual (a 7-mo-old male) presented with a thin-walled pouch in the wall of the right cardiac ventricle. A complete necropsy examination was performed, and samples of the heart (ca. 0.5 cm) with evident macroscopic lesions were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. During the necropsy examination, a well-demarcated outpouching was noted in the wall of the right cardiac ventricle. The aneurysm had a broad communication with the corresponding ventricular chamber. Histologically, the wall of the right ventricular pouch consisted of mature fibrous connective tissue with collagen fibers and fibroblasts. No viable cardiomyocytes were found in the wall of the aneurysm. No infarction, inflammation, or granulation tissue was identified in the aneurysm. This is the first reliable record of a congenital cardiac aneurysm in a pigeon and also the first record of this cardiac anomaly in birds. Herein we describe gross and histopathologic changes of a congenital cardiac aneurysm in a pigeon.