An intrapericardial aneurysm of the left atrium in a twenty-eight-year old asymptomatic woman is reported. The aneurysm was diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography and the specific intraaneurysmatic flow pattern was described by color blood flow imaging. To the authors' knowledge such a noninvasive diagnosis of a left atrial aneurysm has never been reported in the literature before. The diagnosis was confirmed by angiocardiography. The aneurysm was successfully resected. The patient was discharged without medication and continues to do well.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Semans JH, Taussig HB: Congenital "aneurysmal" dilatation of the left auricle. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp63:404, 1938.
2.
Hentrich F., Schramm G., Galal O., et al: Congenital aneurysms of the left atrium with intact pericardium— value of diagnostic methods for recognition, prognosis, and therapy. Z Kardiol72:548-552, 1983.
3.
Goebel N., Jenni R.: Pericardial defect with aneurysm of the left atrium. Z Kardiol72:696-699, 1983.
4.
De Sanctis RW , Dean DC, Bland EF: Extreme left atrial enlargement: Some characteristic features. Circulation29:14-23, 1964.
5.
Johnson J., Danielson GK, MacVaugh H., et al: Plication of the giant left atrium at operation for severe mitral regurgitation. Surgery61:118-121, 1967.
6.
Gabriele OF, Hood WP: Aneurysm of left atrium. Radiology97:397-398, 1970.
7.
Geha AS, Weidman WH, Soule EH, et al: Intramural ventricular cardiac fibroma: Successful removal in two cases and review of the literature. Circulation34:427-440, 1967.
8.
Zitnik RS, Guiliani ER: Clinical recognition of atrial myxoma. Am Heart J80:689-700, 1970.
9.
Van derHanwaert LG: Cardiac tumors in infancy and childhood. Br Heart J33:125-132, 1971.
10.
Penny JL, Gregory JJ, Ayres SM, et al: Calcified left atrial myxoma simulating mitral insufficiency . Circulation36:417-421, 1967.
11.
Hougen TJ, Mulder DG, Gyepes MT, et al: Aneurysm of the left atrium. Am J Cardiol33:557-561, 1974.
12.
Hansen JF, Rygg J., Efsen F.: Intrapericardial left atrial aneurysm. Am Heart J87:113-116, 1974.
13.
Hebert WM, Arismendi L., Ruhstaller FD, et al: Aneurysm of the left atrium associated with syncope and cyanosis . J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg49:535, 1965.
14.
Hall J., Dobbs RH: Cerebral emboli from aneurysm of left atrial appendage. Proc R Soc Med62:911, 1969.
