An 8-year-old girl with severe mitral regurgitation presented with symptoms of heart failure. Clinical investigations did not raise suspicion of an absent left pericardium. Congenital defects of the pericardium are rare and frequently associated with other cardiac lesions. We describe a case of severe mitral regurgitation in a child in whom an absent left-sided pericardium with hypoplasia of left lung was found incidentally during surgery to repair the mitral valve. We believe such associations with other heart diseases is usually circumstantial but can influence the perioperative morbidity, length of hospital stay, and even alter the surgical management.
GatzoulisMAMunkMDMerchantN, et al.
Isolated congenital absence of the pericardium: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management.Ann Thorac Surg2000;
69: 1209–1215.
2.
DruryNEDe SilvaRJHallRM, et al.
Congenital defects of the pericardium.Ann Thorac Surg2007;
83: 1552–1553.
3.
KimHJChoYSChoGY, et al.
Congenital absence of the pericardium.J Cardiovasc Ultrasound2014;
22: 36–39.
4.
ShahABKronzonI.Congenital defects of the pericardium: a review.Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging2015;
16: 821–827.
5.
CentolaMLongoMDe MarcoF, et al.
Does echocardiography play a role in the clinical diagnosis of congenital absence of pericardium? A case presentation and systematic review.J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown)2009;
10: 687–692.
6.
KimMYFairbairnTALiewCK,
Chauhan A Complete congenital absence of the pericardium: an incidental finding.J Card Cases2013;
8: 148–150.
MatsudaNMarumotoANakashimaH, et al.
Congenital pericardial defect associated with ruptured type A aortic dissection.Ann Thorac Surg2004;
77: 1069–1070.
