Ventricular aneurysms in chronic Chagas' cardiopathy.

Ventricular aneurysms in Chagas' disease is the most frequent pathologic finding of this condition. It is possible to diagnose this lesion during early stages by means of cineventriculography, or echocardiography in B mode. An early diagnosis is mandatory for those cases in which the most important clinical manifestation is the presence of frequent ventricular arrhythmias which are often refractory to many forms of treatments. Consequently cardiac surgery is a useful and promising means for the effective treatment of this form of Chagas' disease. Three clinically illustrative cases are presented and the pathophysiology of these lesions is reviewed.