Surgical treatment of aneurysms of the inferior left ventricular wall.

Experience with surgical treatment of 10 patients with aneurysms of the inferior wall of the left ventricle is presented. Six of the 10 aneurysms were false (pseudoaneurysms), and four were classified as true aneurysms. All except one resulted from myocardial infarction. Combined procedures, performed at the time of aneurysm resection, included mitral valve replacement (five patients), coronary artery bypass grafting (four patients), and closure of an interventricular septal defect (one patient). Three of four patients with true inferior aneurysms had mitral valve dysfunction, whereas only two of six patients with false aneurysms required mitral valve replacement (one because of infective endocarditis). Nine of the 10 patients survived operation, and all are functionally improved except one. On the basis of this and previously reported experience, it is concluded that a substantial proportion of inferior left ventricular aneurysms exhibit the pathological features of false aneurysms. Because of the associated propensity toward rupture of such lesions, an aggressive surgical approach is recommended.