Visualization of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with panoramic transesophageal echocardiography.

The diagnosis and precise delineation of a pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle have important implications regarding surgical planning and operative repair. A 68-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with the incidental finding of a large pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle 6 months after a St. Jude mitral valve replacement performed for partial papillary muscle rupture after an acute myocardial infarction. Panoramic transesophageal echocardiography provided a full depiction of the left ventricle and the adjoining pseudoaneurysm, enhancing the preoperative evaluation of the extent of the defect. A successful repair was undertaken with a pericardial patch.