Left ventricular true aneurysm without coronary artery occlusion--a case study.

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular true aneurysm is described as distinct area of the left ventricular wall with systolic dyskinesia where typical myocardial structure is replaced with fibrous tissue. Transmural infarction following occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery is the most common cause of formation of the left ventricular aneurysm.

CASE REPORT

A 51-year old white male, with the history of inferolateral wall myocardial infarction 6 years ago was admitted to the emergency department at the local hospital last year because of sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation in the course of inferolateral myocardial infarction. Later on the patient did not come back to work, felt very weak and had dyspnea on mild exertion. Coronary angiogram performed one year later (the patient refused coronary angiography examination at the time of myocardial infarction) showed normal coronary arteries with a recessive right coronary artery. The left coronary artery was wide with normal contrast flow. Ventriculography showed large, true dyskinetic aneurysm with mural thrombus in the apical segment of the left ventricular wall. Left ventricular ejection fraction was 30%. Patient was qualified for the aneurysmectomy. A large dyskinetic aneurysm (8 cm) of the apical and anterolateral segment of the left ventricular wall was detected intraoperatively. A fresh thrombus weighing 9 g was evacuated from the inside of the aneurysm. Stoney's aneurysmectomy was performed. Histopathology showed a typical picture of scar tissue without signs of active inflammation.

CONCLUSION

Normal coronary angiogram does not exclude development of large true aneurysm of left ventricular wall of typical localization for acute occlusion of left anterior descendent artery.